DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Three separate explosions shook the provinces of Maguindanao and North Cotabato on Friday evening, August 10, a military official said.
Col Prudencio Asto, spokesperson of the military’s 6th Infantry Division, said the first explosion happened at Crossing Awang in the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao at around 7:50 p.m.
The location of the explosion is near the vicinity of the main headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division.
“Initial investigation disclosed that the explosion is believed to be an improvised explosive device based on the fragments recovered,” Asto said. He added the explosive was placed beside a power post.
At around 8 p.m., a second explosion occurred at the roof of Quacknet Internet Café at the corner of Bonifacio Street and Rizal Street in Poblacion, Kabacan, North Cotabato.
A third bomb exploded beside the drainage canal in Purok 13, Barangay Poblacion in the town of M’lang, Cotabato 30 minutes after the explosion in Kabacan, Asto said.
The military spokesman said no one was hurt or killed in the series of bombings.
Asto said that police and military units were immediately deployed to secure the bomb sites and are now conducting investigations to determine the identity and motives of the perpetrators.
In Maguindanao, over 8,000 families or 37,000 individuals have been displaced by a conflict between government troops and members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
The fighting began when BIFF gunmen attacked 11 towns in Maguindanao on August 5 in retaliation for the death of a member and attacks against their Muslim brothers in Basilan.
On August 9, a soldier was killed and 5 others were wounded in an attack launched by BIFF in another town.
BIFF is breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which is holding peace negotiations with the Aquino administration. – Rappler.com
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