Grudge, terrorism eyed in blasts at Cotabato judge’s residence

MANILA, Philippines — Investigators are looking at personal grudge, apart from terrorism, as a possible motive behind the twin blasts at the compound of a judge in Cotabato City on the eve of the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde said this Monday, after two explosions believed to be from grenades rocked the compound of Judge Angelito Rasalan in Barangay Rosary Heights on Sunday night.

No one was reported hurt in the explosions, police said.

READ: Twin blasts rock Cotabato City on eve of BOL plebiscite

“Iniimbestigahan iyan [but] seemingly, something personal ‘yung tinitingnan [as motive behind the blasts] sa [compound ng] judge,” Albayalde said in a press briefing.

(That is being investigated but seemingly, the motive could be something personal behind the blasts in the compound of the judge.)

Albayalde said the police were not discounting the possibility that the blasts were related to the plebiscite for the BOL ratification, which would abolish the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and create the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Some 133,000 voters will cast their votes in Cotabato City on whether or not they will join the BARMM. The plebiscite was scheduled on Monday, Jan. 21, and Feb. 6.

Rasalan, a judge at the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Upi, Maguindanao, is the brother of Aniceto Rasalan, executive secretary of Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, an anti-BOL advocate.

Albayalde also said that investigators were not discounting the angle that terrorist groups could be behind the blasts.

He said however that there was no need to deploy additional troops, noting that over 20,000 police and soldiers were already assigned to secure the plebiscite. /cbb

READ: PNP: Over 20,000 cops, soldiers to be deployed for BOL plebiscite