TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines — An alert fruit vendor prevented what could have been another bloody Monday morning here, police said.
Senior Supt. Junny Buenacosa, Tacurong City police director, said the fruit vendor alerted police about a box left unattended near a department store here.
Police found an improvised bomb inside the box. It was made of a kilogram of cut nails as shrapnel, blasting caps and explosive powder.
The unidentified vendor, at first, tried to personally check the box but stopped himself when he saw the electrical wiring. He then called the police.
Responding Tacurong City police bomb disposal team, using a bomb-sniffing dog, checked the box. The dog sat on it, an indication it contained bomb materials.
Police then cordoned off the area, rerouted traffic and detonated the IED.
Previous bomb attacks in the city were blamed on suspected Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and extortion groups preying on bus companies and business establishments. SFM