Bomb explodes in Cotabato City

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Suspected Moro guerrillas detonated an improvised explosive along the national highway here yesterday morning, causing panic among residents.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Ponce, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said bomb experts recovered fragments of a 60-mm mortar projectile from the scene, indicating that the explosive was identical to those used in the recent bombing of power relay pylons in North Cotabato and Sunday’s explosion in Kidapawan City that injured nine people.

Ponce said it is clear that only one group was behind the bombing along the national highway in Barangay Tamontaka here as well as in Kidapawan City and in the towns of Carmen, Kabacan and Tulunan, all in North Cotabato.

“These renegade Moro rebels really want to attract the attention of the international community. These attacks are apparently aimed at showing to the world that the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) is not a spent force yet,” Ponce told reporters.

No one was reported killed or injured in the latest bombing, but the incident triggered panic in nearby communities.

The military warned that the MILF would stage more bombings in Mindanao to convince the international community that the stalled peace talks with the government must be revived.