Probers eyeing Reds in Masbate port explosion

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines ( Updated August 7, 11:19 a.m.)  —   Police are investigating the involvement of communist rebels in the explosion of an improvised bomb at the Masbate City port last Tuesday evening that resulted in the sinking of a motorized boat, injuring two crewmen.

Supt. Paul de Mesa Cabug, Masbate City police chief, said that the shattered PVC pipe used in making the improvised explosive device (IED) was similar to the pipes the police recovered from a rebel camp in Barangay Mabiton, Claveria, Masbate last July 30 and 31.

He said there are similarities in the shattered bomb recovered from the explosion site and the IEDs recovered from the rebel camp.

Cabug said that they recovered two pieces of six-inch PVC pipes containing at least 18 kilos of gunpowder each during their insurgency operations in Claveria, a town in Burias island in Masbate province.

He said that after they reconstructed the shattered pipe at the explosion site and subjected this to crime laboratory examination, it was confirmed that it is the same kind of PVC pipe they found at the overrun rebel camp.

Cabug said they also recovered in the camp a carbine, a manufactured shotgun and a home-made shotgun. Subversive documents were also retrieved.

Senior Insp. Malou Calubaquib, Bicol region police spokesperson, said the explosion sank the motorized banca MB Noylan that was docked at the pier about three meters from the blast site.

The boat’s skipper Efren Garcia was hurt when he was hit by concrete fragments and seawater flooded the damaged boat, causing it to sink. Boat owner Choy Tuazon of Barangay Nursery, Masbate City was also hit by flying fragments.

Police said investigators have already identified two suspects but the lawmen refused to provide other details.

Initial investigation showed that a Grade 12 student was fishing at the side of the pier and saw the suspects who disembarked from a yellow motorized banca. 

The suspects left a small box at the port’s concrete stairs and then boarded their motorized banca before the explosion.

The boat ferried commuters from Ticao Island to Masbate City.

Officials of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said the incident was the first explosion that happened at the port.

Capt. Joash Pramis, spokesman for the Bicol-based 9th Infantry Division, said the blast also damaged a speedboat of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that was docked nearby.

“The pipe bomb was not planted right at the main port but on a berthing area of smaller boats nearby that is also being used by the PCG as a docking area of their boats,” Pramis said.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, said the Masbate City port bombing has no connection whatsoever to the Lamitan City, Basilan suicide bombing Tuesday morning.

“It’s an isolated incident,” Arevalo said, adding that for now, military and police probers are still clueless as to the identities of the perpetrators. 

PCG spokesman Capt. Armand Balilo yesterday said they are treating the matter as an isolated incident but the agency maintains strict security not only at the Masbate port but in all seaports in the country.

The PCG in Masbate conducted search operations at the port to make sure that there were no other explosives.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Masbate is still conducting follow-up operations to identify and arrest the suspects.   – With Evelyn Macairan, Jaime Laude, Cecille Suerte Felipe