1 dead, 9 hurt in blast inside N. Cotabato mosque

KIDAPAWAN CITY – A person was killed while nine others were wounded in North Cotabato province in yet another violent incident on the eve of the country’s first nationwide automated elections. Police identified the fatality as Manuel Pautin, an Imam (Muslim priest) who died on the spot when a grenade exploded inside the mosque at Sitio Tinibtiban in Barangay Batulawan in the town of Pikit. Injured in the explosion, which occurred about 7:15 p.m. Sunday, were Abdullah Muhammad Ali, 28; Ansari Edris, 38; Solaiman Kalim, 64; Ibrahim Badrudin, 67; Kison Palalisan, 72; Datukan Akmad, 40; Sindatuk Sangkay, 52; Johnny Oboy Matalam, 50, and Norodin Hamsa, 48.

Of those injured, Matalam was severely hit and was transferred to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City for further medical treatment, according to Inspector Bernard Tayong, chief of Pikit Police. Tayong said the victims were doing the traditional “sambayang" (Muslim worship) inside the mosque when the explosion happened. The other casualties were brought to the Cruzado Hospital and Kabacan Medical Specialist Hospital in nearby Kabacan town. The Explosives and Ordnance Disposal Team of the 6th Infantry Division based in Midsayap town was dispatched in the area to conduct further investigation. Tayong said investigators have yet to determine the motive behind the attack, but Jay Mamasabulod, a relative of one of those hit in the explosion, believed the incident had something to do with the elections. —Malu Cadelina Manar/KBK, GMANews.TV