Woman trips on wire, triggers blast that kills her in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — A 42-year old woman who accidentally tripped on a wire while on her way to fetch water died in an explosion at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11, in Barangay Upper Benembengan, Sumisip town, Basilan.

Police Major Faisal Tandico, officer-in-charge of the Sumisip police station, said Junaira Saad, a mentally-challenged woman, sustained shrapnel wounds on the different parts of her body and head, causing her instantaneous death.

“(She) was on her way to fetch water and accidentally tripped on the wire that triggered the explosion,” said Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander of Joint Task Force Basilan.

The wire that she tripped over was attached to a triggering device, causing the IED to explode, said Gobway, who identified the signature of the explosive to be that of Tawakkal Bayali, a sub leader of the Abu Sayyaf.

“This planting of APM (anti personnel mine), its components and triggering device were identified as signatures of Tawakkal Bayali,” Gobway said.

Tandico said the body of the victim was already brought to her immediate family, who was preparing for a traditional Muslim burial rites.

He said the police were closely coordinating with the military in the area. “We immediately coordinated with our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) counterparts in the area and tapped the Barangay Intelligence (BIN) to possibly identify the suspects,” he said.