Another blast jolts Cotabato as ARMM-OIC race heats up

(Updated 1:11 p.m.) A day after the Supreme Court stopped the temporary appointment of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) officials, another explosion was reported in Cotabato City, this time very near the compound of the regional governor's office. Police said no one was hurt in the incident before dawn Wednesday, even as they are validating information linking the explosion to the appointment of ARMM OICs (officers-in-charge). "May initial report around 5:15 a.m. May napaulat na pagsabog sa harap ng compound. Ito ay napakalapit more or less 50-60 meters. Napag-alaman namin... low ordnance detonation at mahina at walang casualty," Cotabato City police chief Senior Superintendent Roberto Badian said in an interview on dzBB radio. (Our initial reports showed the explosion occurred at 5:15 a.m. It was about 50 to 60 meters from the compound of the ARMM regional governor's office. It was a low-ordnance detonation and there was no casualty reported.) Voting 8-4, the Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped the implementation of Republic Act No. 10153, or the law synchronizing the ARMM elections with the May 2013 mid-term polls. The ruling also prevented President Benigno Aquino III from appointing temporary ARMM officials consisting of the region's governor, vice governor, and 24 representatives of the Regional Legislative Assembly. Blast along route of Robredo convoy Badian said the police is not discounting the possibility the predawn explosion was related to a similar incident on Tuesday, when an explosion occurred along the route that was supposed to be taken by Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo. The convoy changed routes at the last minute, and Robredo has ordered an investigation into the incident. Robredo was in Cotabato to attend a forum where the ARMM OIC nominees were presented to the public. "Patuloy ang banta ng pagbomba at pag-kidnap sa Cotabato so tuluy-tuloy ang info na yan. Lately, nakatanggap tayo [ng] intelligence report patungkol sa gagawing fora, nangyari Lunes hanggang kahapon," Badian said when asked if the successive explosions were related. "Yung sa interview sa nag-apply sa pagiging regional vice governor at governor kung saan supposedly by end of the month e kung ma-approve, makaupo ang bagong aplikante," he added. (We have been receiving intelligence reports of possible attempts to disrupt the forums involving applicants for ARMM OICs.) No group has claimed responsibility for the explosions, and the police are still looking into leads on the possible perpetrators. Badian said that while some groups are pushing for the ARMM elections, there are other disgruntled parties who are disappointed that they were not included in the list of OIC candidates. "Yan ang vina-validate natin palagi (We are validating such information constantly)," he said. — RSJ/KBK/YA, GMA News