Bomb suspect with P1.2M bounty killed in North Cotabato

A member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters was shot dead in a shootout with soldiers in Matalam, North Cotabato, on Nov. 14, 2016 (AFP FILE PHOTO)

COTABATO CITY – Government soldiers on Monday shot dead a suspected bomber whose capture carried a P1.2 million reward, the Philippine Army said.

Colonel Nolly Samarita, 602nd Infantry Brigade commander, identified the suspected bomber as Mohammad Nor Hassan, a member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

He said Hassan resisted arrest and opted to shoot it out with soldiers assisting the local police in serving the warrant in Matalam, North Cotabato.

The military said Hassan belonged to a BIFF faction trained by Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, who was killed in a police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in January 2015.

Samarita said soldiers and policemen were to arrest the Hassan with the help of local officials but he fired at government forces.

In his report to the 6th Infantry Division chief, Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez, Samarita said local Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders and barangay officials helped government forces in locating Hassan, also known as Kamarudin Sulayman, in Barangay Central Malamote, Matalam, North Cotabato.

“The team brought two warrants for his arrest issued by a local court in connection with his involvement in IED attacks,” Lt. Col. Markton Abo, 6th ID spokesperson, said.

“The Army was forced to neutralize him,” Abo said.

Galvez confirmed to reporters that Hassan’s capture carried a P1.2-million reward due to his participation in a series of bombings in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.  SFM/rga