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CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 21 June) – Authorities arrested Monday an alleged bomb expert responsible for the attacks on two passenger buses that left four civilians killed in North Cotabato this year.
Lt. Col. John Paul Baldomar, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division, said that joint police and military operatives collared Ali Akbar at Purok 3, Barangay East Patadon in Kidapawan City around 5 a.m.
Baldomar said Akbar is an alleged bomb expert of the Dawlah Islamiya-Hassan Group operating in Central Mindanao.
He said Akbar was allegedly responsible for the bombing of a bus owned by Yellow Bus Line, Inc. in Tulunan, North Cotabato last January 27.
A fruit vendor who was selling beside the parked bus was killed while three other bystanders were injured in that attack, the official said.
Baldomar said Akbar was also allegedly responsible for the burning of another Yellow Bus unit in M’lang, North Cotabato that left three trapped passengers dead on June 3.
He said Akbar was arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant for double murder and multiple frustrated murder issued by a local court.
Baldomar said two improvised explosive devices were allegedly seized from Akbar.