Experts defuse ‘powerful’ bomb in Sultan Kudarat

TACURONG CITY—An alert bystander prevented what could have been a bloody Saturday afternoon at a terminal here when he became suspicious of a yellow sack left unattended, and informed the military about it.

The yellow sack turned out to contain a deadly improvised explosive device (IED), according to Col. Prudencio Asto, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division, quoting a report from the military-led Task Force Talakudong.

“It was a very powerful IED and it was meant to kill,” Asto said even as he lauded the man identified only as  “Rolly” for being alert.

He said the explosive was discovered and defused by Army bomb experts at a road leading to the city’s bus terminal.

The military report said Rolly saw a man disembark from multi-cab passenger jeep carrying a yellow sack before noon Saturday. After few minutes, he noticed the man leaving but did not carry the sack making him wonder why it was left unattended.

He then alerted the Army by phone.

Bomb experts’ investigation showed the IED was fashioned from 81 mm mortar, a 9-volt battery and a mobile phone serving as trigger mechanism.

The mortar, which authorities said was rusting, was turned over to the Army Explosive and Ordnance Division for proper disposition.

The foiled bombing attempt came hours after a suspected bomb carrier was blasted to death in a pre-mature explosion of an IED he was carrying in Kidapawan City.

At about dawn on Friday, the suspected bomber and his companion were standing at a roadside in Barangay Patadon when a speeding car with glaring headlights passed by.

This prompted the two to hide behind a tree. It was then that the explosive went off prematurely.