2 hurt in IED blast in North Cotabato — police

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Two people were hurt when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off Thursday night outside a rest house of a retired police officer in North Cotabato, police said. Inspector Elias Dandan, chief of the Public Safety Office of the North Cotabato PNP, identified those wounded as Angelo Agnot, 17; and Roy Rojas, 34; both residents of Barangay Inug-og in Pikit town. The blast victims were promptly taken to the Kidapawan Medical Specialist Center here for treatment. Dandan said two unidentified men riding a motorcycle planted the IED outside the rest house owned by retired SPO4 Pablo Gonzales in Poblacion, Pikit around 7:45 p.m. Thursday. A few minutes later, a loud explosion was heard. Dandan hinted the bomb was intended for Gonzales, saying the target was a staunch defender of Pikit while still with the PNP. For his part, Gonzales saw two angles behind the blast: revenge and politics. Gonzales said the attack could have been launched by people or their relatives who were "affected" by the local police's anti-crime campaign. At the same time, the former police officer said it could be due to his reported interest in running in the barangay elections this October. — Malu Cadelina Manar/RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV