Police, Army foil bomb try in Maguindanao

DATU ODIN SINSUAT, MAGUINDANAO – Police and military authorities, acting on tips from civilians and concerned citizens, foiled a bombing attempt in Cotabato City, seizing a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) on Thursday afternoon in Barangay Awang here.

Police and military put up checkpoints along the national highway leading to Cotabato City and flagged down a cargo passenger van from Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, according to Senior Police Officer (SPO) 2 Ping Guiaman.

Guiaman said police has received information about a passenger van loaded with an IED intended for Cotabato City. Police in full battle gear directed the passengers to alight and inspected the van at about 4 p.m.  Thursday.

Inside the vehicle, police found a carton that contained the IED fashioned from 81-millimeter mortar with mobile phone as trigger mechanism.  It was mixed with corn grains in the box.

“We received a tip that an IED will be transported by BIFF to Barangay Rosary Heights 10 in Cotabato City,” SPO2 Guiaman said, referring to the IS linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as the courier.

The IED was found at the back portion of a passenger van with license plate ABT-6892, but the driver could not say who owned it.

Army bomb experts from the 6th Infantry Division deactivated the IED at about 6 p.m. that also ended a two-hour traffic jam along the highway.

Police and military authorities believed the BIFF was behind the attempt to slip through the IED in the city to divert sustained military operations in Maguindanao.