AN OFFICIAL of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao Wednesday, February 06, said the three explosions in Lanao del Norte a day before the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite in the province were meant to scare and discourage residents to participate in the plebiscite.
Superintendent Surki Sereñas, PRO-Northern Mindanao spokesperson, said the explosions in the towns of Lala, Kauswagan and Sultan Naga Dimaporo on Tuesday have no clear targets and no casualties were reported.
Sereñas also said investigators are still looking into what went off in the three municipalities, but he said grenades were likely blown up due to the absence of circuit wires and other contraptions present in improvised explosives.
“Dili pa ma-confirm unsa to nga explosions kay walay target and walay victims atong tan-aw ani is this is not meant to hurt anybody or destroy anything,” Sereñas said.
“Siguro pagpanghadlok to para lower ang turn out sa voters sa BOL plebiscite,” the police official added.
Sereñas said the explosions happened along the highway in Lala; behind the town hall in Kauswagan and at the premise of the MSU municipal high school in Sultan Naga Dimaporo.
He also said the government security forces are investigating as to who or what group were involved in what he called as “scare tactics.”
The police official also said there were reports that residents from the vote-rich and Christian-dominated municipalities fled their homes.
However, Sereñas assured residents that the police and military forces are on top of the situation as close to 3,000 security forces were deployed to secure Lanao del Norte.
“We have to strengthen our security in Lanao del Norte to prevent similar incident,” he said quoting PNP chief Oscar Albayalde.