No one was reported killed or injured in the incident.
Police Officer 1 Darwin Lopez said he discovered the box containing the improvised bomb after coming out of the comfort room of the outpost. He said he became suspicious because he could not recall seeing the box upon his arrival.
“When I inspected the box, I saw wirings,” he told reporters.
He said he immediately brought the box, weighing about half a kilo, away from the people and stacked it inside several used tires with the help of fellow officers.
Explosives experts from the military blew the explosive about 30 minutes after it was discovered.
The bomb was fashioned to kill or maim people as it contains concrete nails, Lopez said.
He said the foiled bombing attempt came as the city braced for possible terrorist attacks, adding that an investigation is being conducted to determine the motive and the suspects.
In the last quarter of 2006, two explosions rocked Tacurong, first at the public market on October 10 and in late December injuring six persons. In recent years, bomb attacks in Tacurong killed and injured many.
Days before the staging of the Palarong Pambansa here, the United States issued a travel advisory to its citizens against traveling to Mindanao.
“The embassy has information that a terrorist group may be planning to carry out bombing attacks in central Mindanao over the next several days,” the advisory warned.
“Recent credible information indicates terrorists may be in the advanced stage of attack planning. The attacks may be imminent and could occur at any time, anywhere in Mindanao,” it added.
This city was particularly cited by the advisory as a likely target, due to the staging of the national games which concluded on Saturday with a fireworks display.
Security was tight during the weeklong Palarong Pambansa as officials heaved as sigh of relief after the closing rites since no terrorist attacks marred the games.
The National Capital Region retained its supremacy by bagging the overall championships in the secondary and elementary levels.
For the secondary level, NCR earned a whopping total of 365.4 points—218.4 from the boys’ section and 147 from the girls’ side—to run away with its second straight overall title.
Western Visayas was a distant second with 218.5 points, followed by Southern Tagalog A with 202 points.
In the elementary level, NCR and Western Visayas also ruled the games, at 275 and 236.5 points, respectively.
Rounding up the magic five were Central Visayas (135), Southern Tagalog A (130) and host Central Mindanao Region (127). (MindaNews)