ASG brigands adopts diversionary tactic, set off bomb in Basilan

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 15): ASG brigands adopts diversionary tactic, set off bomb in Basilan

The government authorities strongly believed the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) brigands was behind the bomb explosion late Thursday in Basilan province.

The explosion occurred around 9:40 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Malinis, Lamitan City, Basilan province.

The military, which is hot on the trail of the ASG brigands, said the move is a diversionary tactics of the brigands to ease the pressure on them.

“It might be a diversionary tactic (of the ASG brigands). They are trying to get the attention of our operating troops to shift from the ongoing operation towards the explosion,” said Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).

Government troops are continuously pursuing the ASG brigands in the hinterlands of Tipo-Tipo municipality, which is more than 30 kilometers away from Lamitan City.

The bomb was placed in a fire hydrant beside a gasoline station and a store in Calle Bisaya, Barangay Malinis, Lamitan City.

Senior Insp. Gean Gallardo, Lamitan City police chief, was slightly injured when the bomb went off.

Prior to the explosion, the Lamitan City police received a report that a baggage with suspicious content was left in Barangay Malinis prompting Gallardo and his men to respond and cordoned the area.

The bomb went off while Gallardo and his men were cordoning the place.

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