MANILA — A suspect in the bombing of Mindanao State University in Marawi was one of its former students, a university official said Thursday.

The suspect, Kadapi Mimbesa alias “Engineer”, took up Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering in 1993 and stopped his studies in 1998, said MSU Secretary Atty. Shidik Abantas.

Engineer went back to MSU in 2007, but still did not finish his course, Abantas said.

"We were able to verify that today. We are cooperating with the investigation. We ran through our database. Nahanap namin ang pangalan niya. We are confirming na former student po namin siya,” Abantas told ABS-CBN News.

“Nag-enroll siya for the thesis. Hindi rin niya tinapos. After 2007, hindi na siya nag-enroll. Hindi na siya nakabalik… In general, palagi niyang binabalikan ang subjects niya. This is supposed to be a 4-year course,” he added.

Some MSU faculty members said they were batch mates with suspect, according to Abantas.

“They weren’t expecting na ganito mangyari sa kanya. He was just a regular college student, according to them… Normal college student,” he said.

Police on Wednesday said Engineer and another suspect, Arsani Membisa alias "Lapitos", were members of the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group.

Engineer is believed to be a bomb expert who has existing warrants of arrest for cases of kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and illegal possession of explosive device.

A victim identified Engineer, who sat beside her inside MSU's gymnasium in Marawi in Sunday's attack.

• PNP: Two suspects in MSU blast are members of Maute group

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At least 4 people were killed and around 50 others were injured by the blast from an improvised explosive device during the morning Catholic service.

Face-to-face classes and academic activities at the MSU will resume on Monday, a week after the bomb attack.

More military, police and security personnel will be deployed to the campus.

“Because there are 7 barangays inside the university, inaugment namin ang security. There are checkpoints in the 7 barangays. We have employed K9 dogs, bomb sniffing dogs. Meron na rin kaming metal detectors and security forces roaming around… adjusted and acceptable in an academic atmosphere,” Abantas said.

“Nilakasan din namin ang intelligence coordination with the AFP and PNP… We are also extending the same free transport services sa pagbalik nila sa university,” he said.

The MSU also continues to offer mental health and psychosocial services to students and faculty.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Military chief General Romeo Brawner earlier said the bombing might have been a revenge attack for government operations against three Islamist militant groups -- Dawlah Islamiyah-Philippines, Abu Sayyaf and Maute -- in western Mindanao in recent days.

Pro-Islamic State Maute and Abu Sayyaf militants -- including foreign and local fighters -- held Marawi under siege in 2017.

The Philippine military wrested back the ruined city after a five-month battle that claimed more than 1,000 lives.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has condemned the attack by "foreign terrorists", describing it as "senseless" and "heinous", while Pope Francis offered his prayers for the victims.

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— With a report from Agence France-Presse