‘Cellphone bomb’ defused in Roxas

Roxas City, Capiz — An improvised explosive device was found yesterday morning in barangay Lawaan, Roxas City, creating fear among residents in the area, including the Carmelite nuns.

Supt. Khasmir Disomangcop, Roxas police chief, said they were informed about the presence of a suspected explosive by Danilo Alcorano, 54, a resident living near the Carmelite Monastery in the same barangay.

While he was sweeping the ground outside his house, Alcorano found a box adjacent to the house of Romeo Binibini that contained a Nokia cellular phone and a contraption with a suspicious substance.

Senior Insp. Ramil Entereso, the police chief of nearby Sapian town and a bomb expert, defused the improvised explosive.

Entereso said the improvised bomb contained C4 plastic explosive, scrap iron and gunpowder. He explained that the explosive would have blown up if the cellular phone inside the box was called.

Binibini told the police that they have lived in the barangay for quite sometime and that they did not have known enemies.

Disomangcop said police already had a suspect whom they would not name yet.

However, based on police records, Binibini’s 18-year-old son, Russel was shot several times allegedly by a certain Medelio Manahan, a member of the Philippine Air Force in the early morning of Sept. 4, 2011.

A criminal complaint of frustrated homicide was filed against Manahan at the Roxas City Prosecutor’s Office. /INQUIRER