Probe starts into Maguindanao explosion that killed 2 girls during Eid’l Fitr

MANILA, Philippines—An investigation has started into the explosion in a Maguindanao town that killed two girls watching television at home during the celebration of Eid’l Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.

Carlito Galvez Jr., presidential peace adviser and former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief, said on Tuesday (May 26) that he gave the order to investigate.

“We are saddened by what transpired on Sunday,” Galvez said in a statement.

“We would like to assure our Moro brothers and sisters that we shall leave no stone unturned as we seek justice for the victims,” he said.

Two girls died after a mortar shell hit their house while they were watching television in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao last Sunday (May 24). Nine others were wounded in the explosion.

The Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and International Monitoring Team (IMT) have already started the investigation, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, which Galvez heads.

The CCCH is composed of government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) representatives that serves as an adjudication body for violations of a truce between the government and MILF. The IMT is a body composed of foreign observers that monitors compliance by the government and MILF with a peace agreement that both sides signed in 2014.

In his statement, Galvez said the IMT would release results of the investigation after coordinating with the CCCH.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Western Mindanao Command chief, met with officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao last Monday (May 25) to discuss the tragedy.

According to reports prior to the explosion, members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, an armed secessionist group that broke off from the MILF, carried out attacks on military detachments and killed soldiers manning COVID-19 checkpoints.

Edited by TSB