A grenade exploded inside the United States Allied Freedom Fighters of the East (USAFFE) compound in Barangay Tablon, Cagayan de Oro early Sunday morning.
The headquarters also serves as the house of Atty. Elly Pamatong, the group's leader.
No one was reported hurt in the incident. Pamatong was staying in another safehouse when the explosion occurred.
Pamatong named three persons who he believes may be behind the explosion.
"There are three persons with the strongest motive, with the ability to execute the motive and the opportunity. Si Captain Elmer Robas na floating ngayon dahil sa aking complaint na criminal cases laban sa kanya. Itong leader na asset ni Robas na si Ramil Lumongsod at isang Alberto Sales," he said.
The accused, however, denied the allegations, adding that the explosion was the group's deliberate attempt to get people's attention.
Investigation on the incident is ongoing.
Pamatong, who ran for president in 2010, was arrested in September in connection with a "spike attack" in EDSA in 2004.
Three members of his group were also arrested in connection to a foiled bomb attempt at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in September.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/12/21/14/explosion-rocks-pamatongs-headquarters-cdo
Pamatong is a bit of whacko. He had a checkered past as an immigration lawyer in the U.S. where he attempted to argue that Filipinos born in the Philippines prior to 1946 were U.S. citizens.
ReplyDeleteHe reportedly wrote an autobiography entitled "American Birthright on Trial," in which he claimed that he was a member of the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Sometime after he returned to the Philippines in the early 2000s he set up the Discovery Crusade of the Philippines in Manila to “defend” the United States Embassy from demonstrations by militant leftists. Setting up his base in an office across from the US Embassy, Pamatong recruited Filipinos who believed that the Philippines should be the 52nd state of the US.
He also claims to have close ties to Nur Misuari, chairman of the Misuari faction of the Moro National Liberation Front. In the past, Pamatong has asserted that was appointed "ambassador" of the MNLF to the United Nations.