Explosion hits N. Cotabato town; no one hurt–police

KABACAN, North Cotabato – An improvised explosive device was found along the Davao-Cotabato highway here Wednesday, barely 12 hours after another bomb went off just outside the University of Southern Mindanao main campus here, the police said.

Superintendent Joseph Semillano, town police chief, said the second IED was safely detonated by bomb experts.

He said the discovery of the bomb came as police were investigating Tuesday night’s blast that took place in front of the St. Joseph dormitory near USM campus.

Semillano said the 9 p.m. explosion was quite powerful as it damaged the glass jalousie windows of at least five dormitories near the blast site.

Post blast investigation showed that the explosion was caused by a bomb fashioned from an 81-millimeter mortar shell, he said.

Semillano said the police could not issue statements as to the identity or motive of the perpetrators but added that security had been doubly tightened.

On Tuesday morning, three people were injured when a bomb also went off in Barangay (village) Timpook in Patikul, Sulu.

Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, head of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (Dipo), said the explosion was caused by an IED and that the police were eyeing the Abu Sayyaf as the culprit. With a report from Jamie Elona, INQUIRER.net

First posted 7:12 am | Wednesday, November 9th, 2011