Monday, August 18, 2008 Police chief: Bomb not meant to maim soldiers
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- A police official in this city does not agree with texted rumors that the explosive planted inside a public market on Thursday was meant to "neutralize" the soldiers manning the area.
"No, I don't believe it. There is no truth to it," said Inspector Benjamin Mauricio, deputy chief for operations of the Kidapawan City Philippine National Police (PNP).
Days before the recovery of the 60-mm mortar bomb, text messages circulated in the city that at least 15 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were planted in thickly populated areas, including outposts manned by the Philippine Army.
The mega market is manned both by the Civil Security Unit (CSU) of the City Government and the Army's 602nd Brigade. At least 20 soldiers are securing the public market, according to Mauricio.
"If indeed the IED was meant to kill the soldiers inside the market, the bomber should have planted the explosive near the area where the Army were temporarily billeted. But no, the IED was placed few meters away from the Army's outpost," Mauricio said.
A street sweeper identified as Letizia dela Cerna found the IED underneath a bench at the waiting shed of a terminal of the passenger multi-cab inside the public market, according to police reports.
The Army, part of the Task Force Tugis organized earlier this year to secure the Cotabato-Kidapawan highway, had also set up detachments and outposts along the route and even in the interior portions of the city streets.
In a radio interview, Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, head of the Joint Tactical Group on Law Enforcement, hinted the bombings in North Cotabato's poblacions could be part of the retribution of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the death of their fighters during the recent skirmishes in towns of Aleosan, Midsayap, and Pikit.
"We do not discount the possibility that the group is out to revenge death of their fighters," Khu said.
Khu used as basis in his statement the disclosure made by a suspected bomber identified as certain Norodin Alilaya that police in M'lang arrested last Thursday.
The suspect admitted to authorities his link with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and that he was tasked to bomb cities and towns in North Cotabato on orders from their "higher ups", reports said.
To dispel panic created by bomb threats, Mauricio alerted members of the Bantay Bomba (Bomb Watch) and other "force multipliers," including the civilian volunteers, to keep watch of unattended baggage, packages, boxes, and other things, which they suspect contain explosives and to immediately report the matter to authorities.
"No one should carry, touch, drag or throw the thing that he suspects contains an explosive. One must leave the place immediately. He or she should not go near the thing," Mauricio said, adding that the local PNP will conduct anytime this week bomb awareness seminars in the city to teach people how to handle crisis situations, especially when one finds a suspected IED.
"We want the people to be aware of this thing so to prevent casualties and fatalities and damage to properties," he said. (MCM)
