Blast hurts 4 in Kabacan, North Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY—Four people were hurt when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off in the town of Kabacan, North Cotabato, shortly before 7 p.m. on Friday evening, police said.

Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, North Cotabato police chief, said the explosion took place at the corner of Malvar and Aglipay Streets in Barangay Poblacion.

Suffering minor injuries were Elsa Araiz, 42; Russel Vigwas, 18; Jovelyn Haro, 19; and Darwin Galas 40.

“They are now safe in the hospital,” Salinas said in a text message.

Salinas said based on initial findings of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, the bomb, fashioned from an 81mm mortar shell with a mobile phone as triggering mechanism, may have prematurely exploded.

He urged residents to be more vigilant and report to the nearest police outpost any suspicious-looking individual to preempt similar incidents from happening in Kabacan.

In Cotabato City, a passerby prevented what could have been a bloody Friday night when he alerted the police about a suspicious bag left unattended at the back of a parked van along Gutierrez Avenue.

The bomb, composed of two 81mm mortars, was defused by Army and Marines bomb experts at about 8:30 p.m.

The discovery of the IED came three days after authorities foiled an attempt to set off a bomb inside the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) compound here.

Authorities believed the discovery of explosives had something to do with the assumption of ARMM OIC Governor Mujib Hataman whose appointment by President Aquino had solicited opposition from various groups, including the one claiming they belonged to Bangsamoro Youth Organization.

On that day, another bomb also went off along a busy Sinsuat Avenue at about 7 p.m. but nobody was hurt.

Following the discovery of an IED along Gutierrez Street which was composed of two 81mm mortar rounds, police arrested three persons believed to be responsible for the rash of bomb explosions in the city.

Senior Superintendent Danny Reyes, city police chief, said Datukan Lontok Samad alias “Lastikman,” and two companions identified as Guiamelon Pangako and Eliseo Lamayo, were arrested following a brief chase by police and Marine soldiers in Barangay Poblacion 1. Williamor A. Magbanua and Edwin O. Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao