Westmincom: Abu Sayyaf bandits behind Basilan bomb explosion that killed 2 children, injured three

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 30): Westmincom: Abu Sayyaf bandits behind Basilan bomb explosion that killed 2 children, injured three

Military authorities have tagged Abu Sayyaf bandits as the ones responsible in the bomb explosion that killed two children and injured three others in a remote barangay of Basilan province.

Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said the explosion took place around 11 a.m. Sunday in Barangay Danapah, Al-Barka, Basilan.

Galvez on Monday said the children were playing outdoors when they accidentally tripped on the improvised bomb, which was placed in a trail frequently used by the residents in the area.

Galvez said the victims were rushed to the hospital but two of them died.

Galvez identified those killed as Niyadz Pising, 2; and Ombek Akbar, 5.

Wounded were Pahmiya Pising, 4; Salmiya Akbar, 4; and, Suraima Akbar, 25.

Galvez said the improvised bomb was placed by the Abu Sayyaf bandits led by Furuji Indama to sow fear on the residents in Barangay Danapa, Al-Barka especially those who are not sympathetic to the bandit group.

“This horrendous act perpetrated by the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) goes beyond savagery and stressed that victimizing innocent civilians, especially children, is simply unacceptable,” Galvez stressed.

He committed to exhaust every available resource under his disposal to crush the ASG in the soonest possible time “so that the people of Basilan will have the peace that they truly deserve.”

Galvez said the Joint Task Force Basilan is currently assessing the incident together with local authorities to come up with measure to avert the recurrence of similar tragic incident.

He noted that two children also died while two others were injured in a similar incident on December 2, 2016 in Barangay Bohe Piyang, Albarka.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=959259