KIDAPAWAN CITY(MindaNews / 07 August) — A roving guard of one of the biggest shopping malls here discovered a paper bag that contained a rifle grenade and a fragmentation grenade at around 7:28 p.m. on Monday, the city’s police chief said.
Supt. Ramel Hojilla, director of the Philippine National Police in this city, said the explosives were covered with white cloth and discovered by security guard Alwente Tabosares, a retired member of the Philippine Army, while he was doing a regular security check at Gaisano Grand Mall compound.
Hojilla said the paper bag was left by still unidentified suspects at the back portion of the mall compound, just near the stock room, where there was no close circuit television (CCTV) security camera.
“The suspect knew very well that the area has no CCTV so that he/she couldn’t be traced if we’re to dig deeper the investigation of this case,” he said.
Hojilla noted that one of the possible motives that came out while they were doing the initial investigation was the alleged brewing ‘conflict’ between the mall’s security personnel.
“The mall has two security agencies and based on our investigation, there were security guards who were at odds with each other,” he said.
The incident at Gaisano Grand Mall, he said, was not in any way connected to the recovery of two suspected bombs in nearby M’lang town, also in North Cotabato.
The city is set to celebrate Timpupo Festival, as part of its founding day, which will start on August 10and end on August 19.
In M’lang, authorities recovered two suspected improvised explosive devices placed in two separate areas along the national highway – one found on Sundayafternoon and the other on Mondaymorning.
Authorities hinted the suspects left what turned out to “hoax bombs” to sow panic among the residents. (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)