De Oro blast not linked to framework agreement between PH, MILF–cops

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Police authorities here said Thursday’s bomb blast outside a hotel in Cogon area, which killed two people and injured two police officers, should not be immediately tied to the signing of the framework agreement between the government and Moro rebels.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez had earlier said that there had been speculations the bombing incident was the handiwork of factions unhappy over the agreement.

But Chief Supt. Gil Hitosis, Northern Mindanao police chief, said people should stop speculating because it was not helping the police’s investigation.

Hitosis said in reality, authorities were still facing a blank wall over the identity and motive of the three men suspected to have planted the two bombs, one of which had exploded, outside Maxandrea Hotel here.

“We are still gathering witness accounts and there is no definite picture yet that can be inferred,” Hitosis said following a command conference that Rodriguez and various officials had attended on Friday.

Rodriguez said what was definite was that the police had secured a video taken by the hotel’s CCTV and it was being analyzed for possible identities of the culprits.

Rodriguez said security has also been tightened in the city, as the police were still trying to find out what group was behind the blast and what the motive was. Cai Panlilio and Bobby Lagsa, Inquirer Mindanao