Army foils bomb try vs. Mangudadatus in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 9, 2019): Army foils bomb try vs. Mangudadatus in Maguindanao

Alert soldiers promptly deactivated a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) planted at a road where Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu was about to pass Wednesday morning en route to an event in Rajah Buayan town.

The governor and his brother Freddie, mayor of Mangudadatu town, were on their way to the town center of Rajah Buayan when civilians found the powerful IED at a roadside in Barangay Tabungao where the convoy of Mangudadatu was to pass at past 10 a.m.

“Our troops quickly disarmed the IED,” Mangudadatu said in a radio interview.

The event was delayed due to the incident.

Mayor Freddie, president of Maguindanao mayors’ league, believed that the IED was meant for them.

He lauded the civilians for quickly alerting soldiers of the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion.

He said the attempt will not prevent the governor from pushing for development projects in all towns in Maguindanao.

Rajah Buayan Mayor Engr. Zamzamin Ampatuan said the Mangudadatus were to attend a Balik Baril program of the local government and the turnover ceremonies of a school building project built through the funds from Mangudadatu and implemented by the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion when the IED was discovered.

Gov. Mangudadatu said he has been receiving information about possible roadside bombing whenever he attends to political or development activities in the province.

The last-termer governor, who is seeking a seat in the House of Representatives, has survived at least five roadside bombings since he assumed office in 2010. Rajah Buayan is a town near the Liguasan marshland where the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) operate.

No one has claimed responsibility yet in the foiled bombing against the Mangudadatus.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1058447