Outlawed Moro armed group bungle grenade attack on Maguindanao provincial office

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 29): Outlawed Moro armed group bungle grenade attack on Maguindanao provincial office

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao -- Suspected members of outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) on Wednesday night lobbed two hand grenades at the provincial office here, officials said Thursday.

“Fortunately, the two explosives failed to go off," Senior Supt. Agustin Tello, provincial police director, told the Philippine News Agency.

Tello said two men riding separate motorbikes passed by the provincial police office located in Barangay Poblacion, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao and tossed two hand grenades at about 11 p.m.

Responding Army and police ordnance experts found out that the blasting mechanisms of the two grenades malfunctioned, preventing powerful explosions.

Tello said the grenades landed near the flag pole and could have damaged glass panes and the entrance of the main headquarters.

Police officer on duty at the sentry said he noticed two motorbikes slowing down in front of the police office where roadblocks exist. But after hurling the explosives, they immediately sped away.

Late last year, suspected BIFF members fired rifle grenades toward the police office that went off beside the compound’s concrete fence.

Tello believed the BIFF was responsible since the group operates near Shariff Aguak. But investigators are also looking at drug suspects as possible culprits after successful police anti-drug operations in Maguindanao in recent weeks.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=951667