Police Foils Possible Car Bombing In Southern Philippines

COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 13 Jun) – Police foiled a possible car bombing Tuesday in the restive Filipino region of Mindanao, where security forces are battling terrorism.

The car, laden with explosives and homemade bombs, was discovered abandoned near the municipal hall of Surallah in South Cotabato province, police said.

It said an informant tipped off authorities about the car bomb. Provincial police chief Robert Kiunisala said the car contained mortar bombs rigged to electronic timers and other explosives that would trigger detonation.

Police forces have been deployed in the town which is celebrating its 44th foundation anniversay.

The foiled bombing came barely a week after 11 people were injured in two explosions inside a commuter bus in the town of Matalam on the other side of South Cotabato.

Last month, at least 11 people were killed and more than 100 others wounded in separate bomb attacks in Mindanao, where security forces are battling members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group.

Filipino troops, backed by U.S. and Australian military intelligence, are also hunting down Jemaah Islamiya bombers hiding in Mindanao, among them are Indonesian militants Dulmatin and Marwan and Umar Patek, blamed for the spate of attacks in Jakarta and Manila.

In 2004, the Abu Sayyaf bombed a ferry off the Manila Bay and killed more than 100 passengers.

The U.S. blacklisted the Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiya and added them to the list of foreign terrorist organizations and Washington offered as much as ten million dollars for the capture of their leaders.

Rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, probably with ties with the Abu Sayyaf, have kidnapped June 10 an Italian missioner, Fr. Giancarlo Bossi after celebrating mass in Zamboanga Sibugay province.

The United States, Canada and Britain have issued travel warnings and strongly advised their citizens not to travel to the southern part of the Philippines because of threats of terrorism and kidnappings of foreigners.

“The Embassy has information that terrorists may be planning to carry out bombings at bus terminals and public market places. U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution in central Mindanao.”

“U. S. citizens living and working in central Mindanao are urged to reassess their personal security and to keep a low profile, and should avoid public gathering places,” the United States Embassy said.

Britain on Tuesday said there is a high threat from terrorism throughout the Philippines.

“Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity and the intent to carry out these attacks at any time and anywhere in the country. Attacks could be indiscriminate and against civilian targets in public places including those frequented by foreigners.”

“You should also be aware of the risk of terrorist attacks to all forms of public transport: road, rail, sea and air. Terrorist groups have threatened to attack passenger ferries and other vessels, particularly those operating from Mindanao,” it said. (Mark Navales, Juley Reyes and Juan Magtanggol)