Sulu suicide bomber joined ASG as teen
The Filipino suicide bomber in the Indanan, Sulu, bombing incident joined the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) about six years ago due to the influence of his friends.
Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) Commander Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana revealed this Thursday, a day after both the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) declared that one of the suicide bombers in the 1st Brigade Combat Team temporary headquarters can possibly be a Filipino.
The suicide bomber was later identified as Norman Lasuca, 23, a resident of Barangay Asturias, Jolo, Sulu.
Lasuca, who studied grade school at Asturia Elementary School in Jolo, Sulu, is the son of Velman Lasuca, a housewife and Fredericko Lasuca (Balik Islam), a mechanic.
According to Sobejana, Lasuca joined the Abu Sayyaf when he was 16 to 17 years old due to the influence of his friends and neighbors the De la Cruz brothers.
He said another reason that he joined the group is to escape from his father who constantly beats him up.
“The subject initially joined the group of ASG sub leader Yasser Igasan and later joined the group of ASG leader Hajan Sawadjaan when Igasan died during an encounter with government forces,” Sobejana said.
“The roots of his father is from Dumaguete while his mother is a native of Jolo. The subject is the fifth child among the 11 children (six sons & five daughters). Accordingly, the subject is married but (our) source could not ascertain if he has children,” he added.
In a press briering at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Wednesday, PNP spokesman Police Colonel Bernard Banac, said after thorough investigation and forensic examination, the Regional Crime Laboratory Office of the Police Regional Office 11, has revealed that one of the suicide bombers in the 1st Brigade Combat Team temporary headquarters can be concluded as a Filipino.
Banac said the PNP Regional Crime Lab Office 11 said in a report that reference DNA standards were taken from Velman Lasuca and Alhussin Lasuca, claimant mother and brother of Norman Lasuca.
Banac said the DNA results examined by RCLO 11 Forensic DNA Analyst, Police Major Florepes Pallado concluded that there is 99.99 percent percentage probability match on the DNA sample taken from Velman and samples of the suicide bomber.