Police suspect terrorists behind Cotabato bus blast

UPDATED 11:30 a.m. – Police investigators said they suspect that a terrorist group was behind Thursday's deadly blast in North Cotabato, which killed 10 people and injured 30 others. In a radio interview, North Cotabato police spokesperson Senior Inspector Joyce Birrey said authorities suspect terrorists are behind the explosion that happened inside a Rural Transit deluxe bus (with body number: 2284) in Dalapitan village, Matalam town, North Cotabato. "Yes, we have identified them as a terrorist group. As of now, we are still [continuing the] investigation on which group they are affiliated (with) in North Cotabato," Birrey said in an interview on dwIZ radio. However, she declined to name the terrorist group they are zeroing on, saying follow-up operations are still ongoing at this time. She said some witnesses, including the driver and passengers, had given descriptions matching those of suspected members of local terrorist groups. When asked if the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could be involved, she declined to comment. The MILF, on the other hand, denied involvement in the blast.
"As soon as matapos ang (we finish the) operation and investigation, we will inform the public on thge names and affiliated group of these terrorists," Birrey said. "As of now [tinitingnan namin] kung sino ang suspect na tinutumbok ng testigo, ng driver at isang pasahero na nakasakay sa hitsura ng tatlong suspect na sumakay from Kabacan na bumaba before the explosion of the bus sa Matalam," she added. (We are now focusing on tracking down the three suspects described by the witnesses, including the bus driver and passengers. Initial investigation showed they got on at Kabacan and got off in Matalam shortly before the explosion.) Military: One of wounded persons could be bomber Authorities are looking into the possibility that one of the 30 people hurt in the bloody bus explosion could have been the bomber, a military official in Mindanao said on Friday. Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesperson of the military's Eastern Mindanao Command, said investigators are following a lead that stemmed from doing a background check on the 10 fatalities and 30 injured persons. "Binackground check natin ang fatalities at wounded at mayroon naman tayong nakikitang baka itong isang wounded ay siya na rin ang nagtanim," Cabangbang told radio dzBB in an interview. He added however that a "deeper investigation" needs to be completed before this police theory could be proven. The blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) that was inside a bag placed in an overhead compartment at the back part of the bus. Authorities initially suspected that a man who boarded at the Kabacan terminal, also in North Cotabato, could have planted the bomb and disembarked along the highway right before the IED went off. The military official said their investigation is still leaning more towards the possibility that the blast was an extortion case, in which groups try to exact money from local bus firms and attacck passenger buses if their demands go unheeded. "Historically, kapag may bus bombing ito ay related sa extortion. We only have to look at the bomb signature kung sino ang gumagawa ng ganitong bomba," he said. He added that the police's Explosives and Ordnance Division are still piecing together the bomb fragments. He said investigators have likewise drawn up a list of possible individuals and groups that could be behind the explosion. However, he has not yet revealed the names on the list. The incident happened four days before the nationwide barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, for which the military and police have supposedly beefed up security across the country to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the polls. Cabangbang said the joint action force of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines remains in place. In Eastern Mindanao, checkpoints and action centers are operating 24/7 to ensure immediate reporting and response to untoward incidents. Blast was meant to maim and kill On Thursday, Cotabato Governor Emmylou "Lala" Taliño-Mendoza condemned the attack, saying the blast "was obviously meant to kill and maim." "It was a cowardly act by hardened lawless elements targeting innocent and helpless civilians," she said. Bus firm silent In the same radio interview, Birrey said they are not discounting the possibility of extortion as a motive in the blast. However, she said they could not establish contact with the head office of Rural Transit, which owned the bombed bus. She said they managed to contact only the firm's Kabacan branch but added no one answered the phone in its Cagayan de Oro City main office. Authorities earlier suspected that the Al Khobar extort group was behind the blast, the latest in the volatile southern Philippine region. The group, composed of former Moro rebels, is said to have links with the Abu Sayyaf. Tighter security Birrey said Taliño-Mendoza had called a meeting of management of bus companies whose units pass through North Cotabato. The meeting was scheduled Friday and was to include officials of the police and military. "Pag-uusapan kung may natatanggap silang extortion letter para may coordination ang grupo ng bus companies with law enforcement [agencies] (They will discuss if the bus firms received extortion letters or threats. This way, we can coordinate our investigation)," she said. She said the provincial government has also set up a special investigation task group to conduct a deeper investigation into the incident. Birrey also said Mendoza committed assistance for those injured by the blast. — with Mark Merueñas, RSJ/VVP, GMANews.TV