Soldiers hurt in North Cotabato bomb attack recovering fast

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 1): Soldiers hurt in North Cotabato bomb attack recovering fast

The two soldiers wounded in a bomb attack by suspected Moro rebels i a remote village here last week are recovering, police said here Sunday.

This developed as police in Midsayap placed its forces on heightened alert following intelligence reports of more bomb attacks on government forces and populated areas.

Supt. Renante Delos Santos, Midsayap police chief, said Staff Sgt. Rodolfo Obugan and Sgt. Raymond Sapon, both of 7th Field Artillery Battalion are recovering fast at the Army's Camp Siongco Hospital inside the military's 6th Infantry Division in Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

The two soldiers were manning an Army base in remote Barangay Nabalawag, Midsayap, near the borders with Datu Piang, Maguinanao.

They were to take a bath at a nearby water pump when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) left by suspected members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) went off at 6 a.m.

Army and police bomb experts said the IED was fashioned from 60 mm mortar with mobile phone as trigger mechanis, a signature armament of the BIFF.

It was the fifth bomb attack in Midsayap in August.

Soldiers manning all entry and exit points forced two suspected bomber to abandon an IED in front of a variety store in Barangay Ned last week.

The two men posed as cigarette buyer at the variety store and left hastily followed by a power blast that ripped through the semi-concrete variety store. Nobody was hurt.

Police have deployed more "police multipliers," composed of militiamen and village defenders against lawless elements from Maguindanao to thwart any bombing attempt.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&nid=7&rid=561076