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Saturday, August 16, 2008
Bombs recovered in North Cotabato
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- Four bombs have been distributed, all ready to be set off, in various places in North Cotabato, just a day after 15 of its barangays have been cleared of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants.
The MILF, however, denied any involvement in the bomb threats rocking the province now.
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The first incident was reported around 11:30 p.m. of August 13 at a transmission tower in Carmen town. An explosion occurred at the Transco tower in Sitio Labas, Barangay Tacupan earlier and authorities recovered five 60mm ammunitions attached to the tower.
The following day, a bomb was also recovered at the garbage collection area of the old terminal in Kidapawan City Thursday morning. An unattended baggage near the garbage collection area of the building was discovered by Task Force North Cotabato troops around 5:30 a.m. of August 14.
Investigation showed that the bag contained two kilos of explosive filler TNT, booster 60mm mortar, electrical blasting cap, 1.9 volts battery, a mobile phone, 1 kilo of concrete nails, and a square plainsheet with shape charge.
Authorities said the bomb is powerful enough to demolish the entire building of the old terminal not discounting the shrapnel and nails that could do more damage to lives and limbs.
Another bomb was recovered from the bomber himself at the public market of M'lang around 1 p.m. Thursday. The bomb's blasting cap prematurely exploded, slightly wounding one Norodin Alilaya who is believed to be the bomb courier.
On Friday, a bomb was recovered at an elementary school in M'lang around 6:30 a.m. Mayor Lito Piñol readily ordered the suspension of classes due to the bomb threat. The bomb was safely detonated by authorities.
North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol condemned the terrorist plot and blamed the MILF for it.
"With their sinister plan to partition the country thru the MOA-AD (memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain), the MILF is back to its old tactic of terrorizing people to force government to yield to its demands. We will not be coerced. I call on the people of North Cotabato to be vigilant and be brave. We will prevail. God is with us," Piñol said.
The vice governor said they expect more bomb plots from the MILF, thus they are now mobilizing civilian volunteers and Army reservists to help in securing the entire province. Piñol, however, clarified that the volunteers and reservists will not be given arms by the province.
MILF military spokesman Eid Kabalu, on the other hand, denied that their organization is involved in the series of bomb threats in North Cotabato. The rebel spokesman said the series of bomb threats are the doing of the North Cotabato officials to put the MILF in a bad light.
"First, di namin ugali yan (bomb plots). Second, tingnan mo ang higpit ng security dyan. Third, sa kanila na rin yan. Fourth, para lang mapanatili ang attention sa kanila. We have nothing to do with that," Kabalu said.
In another report coming from the 6th Infantry Division, an IED was discovered near the Pilot Elementary School and the residence of Bishop Lampan at Gen. Roxas and Gen. Luna Streets in M'lang around 6:30 a.m. of August 15. The IED was placed inside a plastic bag with a Nokia 3310 mobile phone as a triggering device. It was defused soon after. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (August 16, 2008 issue)
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