MANILA, Philippines – The alleged suicide bombers behind the deadly January 27 Jolo Cathedral twin blasts left a daughter in Jolo, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año.

“‘Yung babae (suicide bomber), December lang ‘yun dumating [sa Pilipinas]. Tapos meron din ‘yung anak na 10 years old na iniwan dito sa mga sympathyzers at supporters ng Abu Sayyaf,” Año said on the sidelines of the National Federalism Summit’s first day on Thursday, February 7.

Año said that latest information from his sources points to the child still being in Sulu and under the care of Abu Sayyaf sympathizers. (READ: Jolo bombing ‘mastermind’ Sawadjaan is new ISIS head in PH – Año)

The suicide bombers were partners and both Indonesians, Año said.

On the day of the bombing, the woman was believed to have brought the first improvised explosive device (IED) inside the cathedral, while the man supposedly was the one who rushed to the entrance of the church seconds later to detonate the second IED.

The man, Año said, carried an alias “Abu Huda” and had been in the Philippines “for a long time.” The woman arrived in the country just days before the blasts, he added.

Año said Philippine authorities are piecing together all information with the help of counterparts in the Indonesian security and intelligence community.

Evidence includes two pairs of feet recovered from the Cathedral site which should now be the subject of DNA tests. – Rappler.com