Motorist killed in Maguindanao roadside bombing

Police cordoned off a portion of the highway in South Upi, Maguindanao province, where an early morning roadside blast killed a motorist and his backrider on Tuesday, Jan. 26. PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTH UPI MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICE

COTABATO CITY –– A motorist died and another hurt in a roadside bombing in South Upi town, Maguindanao Tuesday, Jan. 26, a top local official said.

South Upi Mayor Reynalbert Insular said the explosion occurred at 5:45 a.m. along the highway in the village of Poblacion Romonggaob.

Citing an initial police report, Insular said the victim was driving a motorcycle with his companion riding on the pillion heading toward Cotabato City when the explosion happened.

Police identified the victim as Alberto Delos Santos of Lebak town, Sultan Kudarat province.

The incident added to the string of violence in the town in the past few weeks.

On New Year’s eve, suspected members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) harassed a neighborhood of the indigenous Teduray tribe in Itaw village, torching about 30 homes to force them to flee their lands.

A few days later, a relief convoy of Insular was ambushed on the way to the town center from Itaw after distributing aid to residents who evacuated.

Two days after the ambush of Insular, a town councilor survived another ambush by still unidentified gunmen, who police and military authorities believed were BIFF fighters.

More soldiers have been deployed in South Upi to prevent similar attacks.

LZB