Security tightened vs. bus bomb attacks in Cotabato, Kidapawan

 From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 8, 2022): Security tightened vs. bus bomb attacks in Cotabato, Kidapawan (By Edwin Fernandez)

DEACTIVATED BOMB. The integrated terminal in Kidapawan City is deserted by residents while bomb experts deactivate an explosive device inside a box found over the weekend in the area. Bomb experts confirmed on Tuesday (March 8, 2022) that the unattended package contained a homemade bomb. (Photo from DXND - Kidapawan)

Police authorities here and in North Cotabato have taken extra steps to ensure the safety of the commuters against terrorism and bombings.

The stricter safety measures came about after authorities recently foiled a bombing attempt at a bus terminal in Kidapawan City, and the explosion that took place inside another passenger bus while parked in Cotabato City last week.

On Tuesday, Lt. Col. Peter Pinalgan, Kidapawan police director, said a box found unclaimed for three days inside the city integrated public terminal that bomb experts intentionally set off was an improvised explosive device.

Pinalgan said the improvised bomb was mixed with dried fish so that the bomb-sniffing dog would not be able to detect it.

“The scent of dried fish covered the smell of explosive powder that K-9 dogs are trained to identify,” he said in the vernacular.

Bomb experts defused the IED by setting it off.

Pinalgan said public awareness and vigilance to immediately report dubious-looking boxes and other wrapped containers to the police helped prevent the bombing.

“We are also reviewing our security measures to determine how the IED was sneaked into the terminal compound,” he said.

In Cotabato City, a bomb was set off inside a Mindanao Star Bus while parked inside the bus terminal here last week.

The bus had just arrived from Davao City and all the passengers have disembarked when the bomb, a cellphone triggered explosive device, was set off.

Police believed the bomb was meant to scare the bus firm.

An inquiry from the bus firm if it has extortion demands from armed groups remained unanswered.

The extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) has been blamed for the series of bus bombings in Central Mindanao last year.

Authorities said extortion could be behind the bombings of several buses plying major routes in Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato last year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1169252