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COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/06 August) – An improvised bomb exploded in front of a security agency at around 7:40 p.m. Saturday, four days after a blast in front of its gun store killed a photographer and injured 13 others.
No one was hurt in Saturday night’s blast in front of the Saviour Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Security Agency along De Mazenod Street, a security agency owned by Jesus “JV” Martinez, who also owns the SWAT gunstore along Quezon Avenue (formerly Parang Road).
Authorities say personal grudge against Martinez is likely the motive behind the bombings
City Administrator Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said Martinez should cooperate with the police especially because several residents have been affected.
Sayadi appealed to Martinez, who is reportedly in Davao City, “to come here now to cooperate with the police, para mabigyan na ng solusyon ang problemang ito because it affects the public.”
Martinez’ security agency provided the guards of Datu Unsay mayor Bai Reshal Ampatuan, who were disarmed by the Maguindanao last January 14. Police and Army personnel confiscated eight high-powered firearms after verifying they were not authorized to carry such. The joint police-military team also found SWAT’s Temporary License to Operate expired last January 6, 2011” prompting Soliba to confiscate the weapons.
Mayor Ampatuan is the wife of former mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr., the principal suspect in the massacre of 58 persons, 32 of them from the media, on November 23, 2009 in Ampatuan, Maguindanao. (Ferdinandh Cabrera/MindaNews)