-
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 23 March) – A policeman and a civilian were hurt in a series of bombing incidents tonight that brought havoc to a predominantly indigenous Teduray community in North Upi, Maguindanao.
Senior Supt. Agustin Tello, provincial police commander of Maguindanao, confirmed the two of explosions that took place past 7 p.m.
“The information we received, the first explosion was believed to be a hand grenade lobbed near the elementary school where a basketball event was happening. When the police responded, a secondary bomb exploded (IED), wounding one of our police responders,” he said.
Tello believed that the attack was meant to hurt policemen when an IED was planted to ambush the responding policemen.
He has no idea yet who as to the group behind the atrocities in Barangay Burungotan.
Joint Task Force Central Mindanao spokesperson Col. Gerry Besana identified the police victim as PO1 Marjun Lahaylahay while the wounded basketball player is still unidentified.
The first explosion was heard around 7:45 p.m. while the second one around 8:00 p.m.
Troops from Marine Battalion Landing Team 7 stationed in the area were immediately deployed with V-150 armored vehicle.
December 10, last year, outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) conducted a similar attack in the same town, wounding a Marine trooper and a policeman. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)