PNP: Mangudadatu target, motive unknown

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Authorities on Tuesday said they were certain that the target of Monday’s car bomb in Tacurong City was Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, but were not sure what the motive for the attack was.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo refused to link the attack to the 2009 massacre in Maguindanao of 57 people, including the governor’s wife, two sisters, an aunt and two other relatives.

Key members of the Ampatuan clan, a known arch rival of the Mangudadatus, are on trial for the mass murder.

Monday’s bomb attack, said Robredo, “could have been motivated by politics, government projects, peace process and others.”

He said Mangudadatu could have been a target by people opposed to his possible appointment as officer in charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which was provided for by a recently enacted law that also suspended elections in the region set for September.

‘Power struggle’

“Politics could mean power struggle,” said Robredo.

Another theory, said the secretary, was that the bomb attack could be an attempt by “peace saboteurs” to derail ongoing talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The MILF would be blamed for the attack under this scenario, said Robredo.

“At the moment, let’s wait for the outcome of the investigation,” he said.

Investigators said the explosion was timed for the passing of Mangudadatu’s convoy in Tacurong City. The blast caught the third car in the convoy carrying Maguindanao Board Member Russman Sinsuat Sr., his son Russman Jr. and several other persons.

The elder Sinsuat and a passerby died while several others were injured in the blast. The Sinsuats are relatives of the Mangudadatus.

Still being treated in hospitals were Russman Jr.; Bebot Balabaran, a relative and personal secretary of Sinsuat Sr.; Mabang Antonio and Noble Abdullah, Sinsuat Sr.’s escorts; and passersby Richard Sonza and Robert Formacion.

Howitzer shell

The bomb was packed inside a Kia car with license plate MDJ-274 and exploded past 3 p.m.

The governor called off a party for his 43rd birthday at his slain wife’s resort in Tacurong after the attack.

The car used in the bombing was registered under a certain Maureen Macasindil of Maa, Davao City. The bomb was made mainly of a 105-millimeter howitzer shell linked to a cell phone as a trigger device, according to investigators.

Senior Supt. Danilo Peralta, Sultan Kudarat police director, said police, too, believed that Mangudadatu was the target of the car bomb.

“He was the main target,” Peralta said. He refused to elaborate.

“You know he is a politician, but we have no idea as of now who are his enemies,” he said.

Peralta said before the blast, witnesses noticed the white car parked in the same spot at about 10 a.m. It left after 30 minutes, returned at about 1 p.m. then left again.

Past 3 p.m., the car arrived and the driver left it and crossed the street. The blast occurred minutes later.

Taxi unit

“If it was meant for other victims, it could have been placed in populated areas like a bus terminal or the market,” said Peralta.

In Davao City, the management of Midvalley Taxi said the Kia car used in the bomb attack came from the cab company.

Apostol Loho, Midvalley manager, said the car was among those sold during a garage sale a few years ago. “It was sold for P55,000,” said an employee of the cab firm.

Loho said Midvalley was cooperating with investigators and could not divulge details of the sale to reporters. Charlie Señase, Dennis Santos and Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao