Troops Foil Bombings Of Bus Depot In Mindanao

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 29, 2008) – Philippine troops disarmed three homemade bombs left at a bus depot in North Cotabato province in the restive region of Mindanao, south of the country, the army said Wednesday.

The improvised explosives were assembled from two 81mm and a 60mm mortar bombs and connected to blasting caps and batteries and left at the depot in Kabacan town, said Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division.

Ando said the bombs, concealed inside cardboard box, were discovered by civilians who informed authorities about it. No group claimed responsibility for the foiled attack, but Ando blamed rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as behind the foiled bombing.

“We suspect lawless MILF groups as behind this foiled attack because there is an ongoing operation against them,” Ando told the Mindanao Examiner.

Ando was referring to Ameril Kato, Abdullah Macapaar and Sulayman Pangalian, who led a series of deadly attacks against civilian targets in August after the failed signing of the Muslim territorial deal with the MILF.

Manila suspended peace talks with the rebel group because of the attacks that killed and wounded dozens of people in North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and Sarangani provinces.

Police and military authorities previously blamed the spate of bus depot bombings to the Al-Khobar gang. (Mindanao Examiner)

North Cotabato Bombing Foiled

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / August 14, 2008) – Philippine authorities foiled a bomb attack Thursday in North Cotabato city of Kidapawan, a day after troops gained control of 15 villages occupied by Muslim rebels, officials said.

Officials said the bomb, assembled from mortar and TNT and nails rigged to a cell phone, was discovered at dawn by civilians at a bus depot. No group claimed responsibility for the foiled attack, but officials said soldiers and policemen were alerted by the discovery of the explosive.

Army and police explosives experts defused the bomb, which was placed inside a bag and abandoned at the bus depot.

“Civilians are now vigilant and cooperating fully with military and police authorities and we urge the public to stay vigilant. We will not allow terrorism to disturb our peace in Mindanao,” Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told the Mindanao Examiner.

Troops on Wednesday took control of 15 villages in North Cotabato province after a weeklong battle that left more than two dozen rebels and soldiers dead and wounded and over 160,000 people fleeing their homes.

Authorities blamed previous bombings in North Cotabato to the Indonesian terror group Jemaah Islamiya and their local counterpart, the Abu Sayyaf and the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front, including the al-Khobar gang.

Last year, two bombs exploded in Kidapawan City and killed three people and left dozens wounded. (Mindanao Examiner)