Alleged bus-bombing mastermind, 3 others killed in military ops, says Army

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Military authorities here announced today the death of the alleged mastermind in the bombing of a bus in Aleosan, Cotabato, and his three companions during a law enforcement operation on Saturday.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, identified three of the four slain suspects as Norodin Hassan alias Andot, the known leader for military affairs of the Dawlah Islamiya Hassan Group, Abdonillah Hassan alias Don, and Abdonhack Hassan alias Abdon.

Uy said the four were killed in a military operation in a remote village in Carmen, Cotabato, four days after they allegedly exploded an improvised bomb inside a Mindanao Star bus in Aleosan that left a 5-year-old child dead and six others hurt.

Uy said state forces recovered two assault rifles, ammunition, and other war materiel.

“The death of alias Andot and three of his cohort only shows that justice is given to the victims of the Mindanao Star bus bombing,” Uy said in a statement.

Uy said intelligence reports and information from the civilian populace helped security forces to track down the perpetrators in a massive manhunt operation launched a day after the explosion on Tuesday.

Col. Jovencio Gonzales, 602^nd Infantry Brigade commander, said a tipster pinpointed the location of the suspects.

“After we identified the perpetrators responsible for the bomb attack, we immediately launched the manhunt operation to prevent them from doing similar atrocities in other areas thus preventing further loss of lives and damage to properties,” Gonzales said.

In the last quarter of last year, 6ID forces neutralized several DI leaders that included DI emir Salahuddin Hassan, who was killed during a clash in Talayan, Maguindanao on Oct. 29, 2021.

/MUF