3 hurt in Maguindanao roadside blast

KORONADAL CITY, Philippines—A security officer and two civilians were wounded in a roadside bombing near a police camp in Maguindanao on Wednesday and authorities immediately put the blame on the splinter rebel group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, headed by Ameril Umra Kato.

Senior Superintendent Marcelo Pintac, provincial police director of Maguindanao, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone that BIFF rebels detonated a homemade bomb they planted some 100 meters away from the provincial police headquarters in Shariff Aguak town around 6 a.m.

“The boys were heading to the market on board our vehicle when the attack occurred.  As our men were passing by, they detonated the bomb,” Pintac said.

Pintac said the wounded police officer and the civilians were out of danger as of Wednesday night.