SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday said the Mindanao State University-Marawi City bombing was not a failure of intelligence but rather a “failure of coordination.”
In an interview with ANC, Zubiri said the Armed Forces had received intelligence information as early as last October that the MSU would be bombed but could not take the necessary preventive measures since the university has its charter and like the University of the Philippines has its security setup.
Zubiri said he got the information when the Armed Forces and officials of national security agencies briefed senators in a closed-door session in the Senate two weeks ago.
“We had an executive session. I cannot reveal every particular secret that was mentioned.
But I would like to say that as early as October alam na po nila na magkakaroon ng bombing sa (they already knew that there would be a bombing in [MSU]),” Zubiri said.
“I don’t know if I’d be able to say this. But the problem, according to our Armed services, is that they have no control of the Mindanao State University campus. It has a charter similar to the University of the Philippines. They are not allowed to do patrols with the University of Mindanao campus. So, sabi nila, anong magagawa namin? (So, they said, what can we do?),” he added.
Last December 3, an improvised explosive device was detonated inside the Dimaporo gymnasium of the MSU-Marawi City in the middle of a 7 a.m. Mass, killing four and causing injuries to dozens.
Military officials said the bombing was in retaliation to the earlier killing of top Maute group leaders and members.
Zubiri said universities and colleges which have their charters are encouraged to work with authorities.
“I know you have your charter. You want to have your police security setup, but work with the authorities, work with the Armed services, work with the intelligence services. The army has their intelligence services and they can tell you the risk factor in your territory,” Zubiri said.
He said the army was not in a position to deploy its troops inside the MSU campus after receiving the intelligence information on the planned bombing to thwart the terrorist act.
He said the bombing could have been prevented if intelligence agents had been detailed on the MSU campus before the bombing.
“So, I think what happened there was not only a failure of intelligence. I don’t think it’s a failure of intelligence. It’s a failure of coordination,” he said.
