Car bomb discovered in South Cotabato

By Ronron
June 13, 2007

Authorities discovered on Wednesday morning in South Cotabato City a car rigged with an improvised explosive device (IED) believed to have been prepared by a notorious bomber in the region.

The black Toyota sedan, 1977 model, (with plate number PCL-911) was found abandoned along the national highway near the Rotonda of Surallah town at around 6:15 am.

Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Robert Kuinisala said police were informed about the presence of the car bomb through text messages that circulated among them and some locales around dawn of yesterday.

Elements of the 1205th Provincial Police Mobile Group, the Surallah Municipal Police Station, and the South Cotabato Provincial Police responded to the site and secured it from the public.

Members of the police and Army Explosive and Ordnance Division (EOD) followed immediately and inspected the car.

Found inside it are nine pieces of 60 mm mortars, one 81 mm mortar, one 90 mm recoilless rifle projectile, one box loaded with three-inch nails, one box loaded with TNT, one unit booster, and a triggering device (a tape recorder).

Kuinisala said the IED was placed under the backseat of the car and was already set up, ready for detonation.

He said the EOD experts suspect that the when the tape recorder is played and reaches the end, that’s when the bomb will blow off.

The IED was disarmed at around 10:30 am using water disruptor, Kuinisala said.

All the materials, including the car, were then brought to the South Cotabato Provincial Police headquarters in Koronadal City for proper disposition. Kuinisala said US soldiers arrived at the area to also inspect the items.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the car reportedly came for Datu Piang town in Maguindanao, driven by an unidentified suspect.

“At about 3am, our intelligence unit received an information that a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device departed Datu Piang, Maguindanao … purposely to conduct a bombing mission either in Koronadal City, Tacurong City (in Sultan Kudarat), Esperanza (also in Sultan Kudarat), or Cotabato City,” Bacarro said.

Bacarro said it is possible that the suspects abandoned the vehicle because police and military units in the area were quick to put up additional checkpoints and strengthen those already existing.

Kuinisala said two men were seen near the car at around 5am, one of whom has an amputated arm.

“We suspect that the guy with an amputated arm is Edris Sabal, a member of the MILF-Special Operations Group, which has links with the Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf Group,” Kuinisala said.

He said Sabal is one of the suspects behind the 2003 bombing at KCC Mall in Koronadal City where he lost an arm. Sabal has jumped bail, he said.

Kuinisala said the plate number was initially traced to a resident of San Juan in Metro Manila. Investigation is still ongoing to find out if the owner has anything to do with the alleged car bomb plot.

Asked of the impact of the IED had it exploded, Bacarro said: “Looking at the IED, which has nine pieces of 60 mm mortar, one 81 mm mortar, and a box loaded with sharp nails, this is really intended to inflict harm.”

Despite the latest terror threat, Bacarro maintained that Mindanao as a general place is still peaceful, expect for the Cotabato provinces where a number of attacks had happened in the last few months.

“What we can do right now is of court, on the part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, is to intensify our intelligence efforts. The early detection of this vehicle when it left Datu Piang is an indication that our pro-active efforts are really there, they are in place, and they are, in a way, effective,” Bacarro said.

Kuinisala, for his part, said more checkpoints have been set up in the region to ensure the security of the people against terrorists./DMS