THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) strongly believed that the bomb explosion in Lamitan City, Basilan province was the handiwork of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
General Carlito Galvez, Jr., AFP chief-of-staff, made this pronouncement in Zamboanga City in a press conference citing the motive of the bombing was extortion.
Galvez said the main motive is to threaten the local government units (LGUs) to give in to their demand since they are losing support in Basilan province.
He said the ASG is demanding P50,000 monthly protection money from each of the 11 LGUs, a demand the local chief executives have turned down.
The military official said there could be more casualties had it not been for the vigilance of the troops manning the checkpoint.
The bomb explosion on Tuesday at a checkpoint in the tri-boundary of Bulanting, Colonia and Maganda, Lamitan City, resulted to the death of 10 people, including the bomb courier (not 11 as earlier reported), and seven others wounded.
The fatalities included a soldier, four militiamen and four civilians, who were militia dependents.
Galvez said the most probable target of Tuesday’s bombing was the parade of the nutrition month culmination activity based on the “time element or timing” when the van was stopped at the checkpoint.
Some 4,000 children coming from different schools in Lamitan City joined the parade.
Galvez said the ASG wanted to make a very strong statement and “that is through the bombing.”
He said improvised bombs consisted of two of 20-liter gallon and one big cattle. (SunStar Philippines)