COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/13 May) — A suspected improvised explosive device went off inside the Pilot Central Elementary School of Kabacan, North Cotabato at 12am today, the 7th Infantry Battalion said.
Nobody was hurt in the explosion that damaged some steel benches at the school, the 7IB said in its incident report.
The 7IB and the Kabacan police cordoned the area and conducted a post-blast investigation, the 6th Infantry Division’s Public Affairs Office said in a text message to MindaNews.
Meanwhile in Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao, Army soldiers detonated two other IEDs in Barangay Timbangan shortly before midnight Sunday.
Lt. Col Dickson Hermoso, 6ID spokesperson said a security patrol of the 1st Mechanized Battalion said two civilians tipped off the presence of the explosives which were fashioned out of 81-mm mortars.
Recovered at the scene were a damaged mobile phone which was believed to be the triggering device, disintegrated parts of a 9-volt battery, and shrapnel.
Another IED was reportedly found in Poblacion, Shariff Aguak at 6 a.m. today. Army bomb experts were dispatched to defuse the explosive.
In General Salipada K. Pendatun town, Maguindanao another shooting took place around 6:45 p.m. Thursday, killing one person and wounding another.
Killed was Akas Mukasil while a certain Jabar was wounded based on the information received by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting in Maguindanao.
It was not clear if the incident was election-related.
On Sunday morning, a district supervisor of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Salipada K. Pendatun was shot dead by two unidentified assailants on board a motorcycle at.
Abas Menso was also appointed as member of the Municipal Board of Election Canvassers
In Matanog, also in Maguindanao a local supporter of Liberal Party mayoralty candidate Usman Imam was shot around 7 p.m. Sunday.
The victim was sleeping inside Imam’s compound in Sitio Sarakan, Barangay Bugasan Norte, Matanog. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)