Philippine troops foil bombing ahead of peace deal signing with MILF rebels

From the Mindanao Examiner blog site (Mar 25): Philippine troops foil bombing ahead of peace deal signing with MILF rebels

Security forces have disarmed a powerful bomb, ahead of the signing of the peace agreement between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, at a highway in the southern Philippine city of Marawi, officials said Tuesday.

Officials said patrolling soldiers headed by Lt. Louie Kent Heredia, of the 65th Infantry Battalion, discovered the explosives in the village of Gadungan. The explosives were assembled from two 81mm mortar bombs and a cooking gas cylinder attached to a cell phone that served as its detonator. 

Members of the army’s 35th Explosive Ordnance Disposal recovered the bomb after safely disarming it, officials said.

It was not immediately known who was behind the foiled bombing, but its discovery came ahead of the signing of the peace deal on March 27.

Several rebel groups are opposing the peace talks between the Aquino government and the MILF, the country’s largest Muslim group fighting for self-determination in the restive region of Mindanao.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/03/philippine-troops-foil-bombing-ahead-of.html