Gov’t forces shoot bomb courier dead, seize IED

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 10, 2019): Gov’t forces shoot bomb courier dead, seize IED

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – Government forces shot dead late Wednesday a man who was transporting an improvised bomb for Cotabato City, authorities said.

Joint police and soldiers manning a checkpoint shot the man on board a motorbike that was supposed to undergo inspection along a diversion road in Barangay Tamontaka 2, Cotabato City, around 10 p.m.

Major Arvin John Encinas, speaking for the 6th Infantry Division, identified the suspected bomber as Talib Datukali Dingo based on a PhilHealth identification document (ID) recovered from his wallet.

The law enforcers asked Dingo to pull over for inspection but the latter refused and pulled out a pistol from his waist, forcing soldiers to fire and injure him.

He was rushed by police to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center but died while undergoing treatment. Seized from Dingo were a PhilHealth ID, a .45-caliber pistol, a mobile phone, two automated teller machine cards, and PHP5,700 cash.

“His black Honda motorbike without a license plate was laden with an improvised bomb,” Encinas said. The IED, which was placed at the utility box of the motorbike, was later deactivated by Army bomb disposal experts.

Also, on Wednesday, Army foiled another bombing attempt for Cotabato City or other nearby municipalities following a brief clash with suspected terrorists carrying improvised bombs in the marshland of Maguindanao.

Encinas said soldiers of the 40th Infantry Battalion recovered three 81-mm mortar explosives attached to a timing device following a brief encounter with suspected members of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) Abu Toraife faction in Sitio Landing Fish, Barangay Darampua, Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao at 9:30 a.m.

After the clash, soldiers found the IED in a motorized boat abandoned by the terrorists. Encinas said the IED was to be brought to Cotabato City or Midsayap, North Cotabato via the Rio Grande de Mindanao river channel.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1058529