Supt. Joel Limson, city police chief, said the Jema’ah Islamiyah (JI) could be behind the latest bomb attack based on the recovered debris from the improvised explosive device (IED) at the crime scene.
Speaking over Kidapawan’s DXND Radio for Peace, he said police bomb experts conducting investigations at the blast site recovered TNT components, nails and other shrapnels, which he said are trademarks of a JI explosive.
The blast occurred at a barber shop near a barber shop at the junction of Magsaysay and Bonifacio streets, Limson said.
He said the three casualties died undergoing treatment at the hospital — Basilisa Landig, Ronald Reyes, both of San Antonio in this city; and Cadsa Langalin, of Barangay Gansing, also in Tacurong.
The wounded were rushed and are being treated at the nearby Tamondong, Tijano, St. Louise and Sultan Kudarat hospitals.
Supt. Teng Tocao, the acting Sultan Kudarat provincial police director, said that an improvised explosive device (IED) was used by suspects, although he admitted they still do not know who the suspects are and are still conducting further investigations as to the explosive used.
City Mayor Lino Montilla rushed to the hospitals to check the condition of the wounded. He condemned the attack as he ordered the city’s police force to conduct investigations and identify the perpetrators soon.
Montilla appealed to the people of Tacurong to be vigilant and immediately report to the police any suspicious looking individuals to avoid similar incidents from happening.