Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Army, police foil bombing attempt in North Cotabato, manhunt on vs. perpetrators

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 9): Army, police foil bombing attempt in North Cotabato, manhunt on vs. perpetrators

Police and military authorities here have conducted joint manhunt against two men who left components of a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) in a remote village here Monday.

This after military bomb experts prevented a bombing attempt in North Cotabato or elsewhere in the region with the recovery of components of improvised explosive device in Purok Lumboy, Barangay New Leon, Aleosan, North Cotabato.

Four live 60 mm mortars were found tucked in the “u-box” or compartment of a motorcycle left unattended in Purok at past 4 p.m. Monday, according to Senior Inspector Arnel Melocotones, Aleosan town police chief.

Melocotones said the Aleosan police office has received information at past 3 p.m. that two men were acting suspiciously in the village when they abandoned a motorbike.

Army bomb experts checked on the motorbike and were surprised to discover four 60 mortars, detonating cords, blasting caps, steel balls and other metals.

“It will not explode, the triggering device was not yet complete,” Melocotenes said in Filipino.

He theorized the two men left the motorbike in Barangay New Leon and other men will drive the vehicle to an unknown place where they will set off the IED.

No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing attempt but police and Army investigators said it has the "signatures" of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

An Army colonel said the recovered IED components were similar to those found and recovered by the military in BIFF camps and stronghold in Maguindanao last February when an all out offensive was launched to neutralize the BIFF.

Following the incident, Senior Supt. Danilo Peralta, North Cotabato police chief, has ordered all police units in the province to be on guard against peace saboteurs.

He also sought the help of civilians in preventing bombings and other terrorism in the province.

North Cotabato had been subjected to BIFF bombings in the past, the latest bloody attacks were in November and December last year where three bombings, one in Kabacan town and two in Mlang, both in North Cotabato, leaving at least six persons dead and about 60 civilians wounded.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=770280

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