Explosion hits Cotabato City anew
-A A +AWednesday, September 14, 2011
COTABATO CITY (Updated 9:05 a.m.) -- Another explosion rocked Cotabato City on Wednesday morning, after the two explosions on Tuesday that disrupted the convergence of Mindanao leaders.
Authorities said the improvised explosive device (IED), placed underneath a passenger jeepney, exploded past 5 a.m. along Governor Gutierrez Avenue near the gate of the office of the Regional Governor of Armm.
The bomb was made up of 88mm mortar with a cellular phone as triggering device, the same components of the bombs that exploded on Tuesday and disrupted a public forum for the installation of the officers-in-charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
No one was reported hurt in the incident.
Meanwhile, another bomb was found near the area of the first explosion.
Directorate for Integrated Police Operations Chief for Western Mindanao chief Felicisimo Khu said the second bomb did not explode due a malfunction.
The IED was reportedly diffused using a water disruptor.
Khu believed the group of Basit Usman was behind the explosions.
He said the intention of the bombing was to again disrupt the public forum.
Candidates for Armm officers-in-charge were at the city to face the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) screening committee led by Secretary Jesse Robredo.
On Tuesday, two explosions rocked Cotabato City along the Sinsuat Avenue in front of Notre Dame Hospital while Robredo was about to pass by that highway.
Reports said the first explosion occurred around 12:10 p.m. and the second explosion at 12:15 p.m.
Nobody was reported injured in the incident.
Cotabato City Police Director Roberto Badian said that two IEDs were planted 20 meters apart beside the road.
Police earlier believed that the convoy of Robredo was the target of the blast.
However, Badian was quick to state that Robredo was not the target of the explosion.
He said they are looking into roadside bombing.
In a television interview, Robredo refused to speculate, saying, "We would rather wait for the results of the investigation."
He said: “I did not even pass it, the convoy decided to take another route.”
Investigation is ongoing. (Sunnex)
Local news
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