Abu Sayyaf bombs another Sulu bridge

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – A powerful explosion rocked a village of Sulu when suspected Abu Sayyaf militants bombed a bridge early yesterday in Talipao town, according to the military here.

The bombing was the third which military officials believed was aimed to cripple the villagers’ social and economic plight and cut government services in the impoverished villages of Sulu.

Maj. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said that the bombing was also part of the Abu Sayyaf and rogue rebels “assymmetrical” warfare to draw responding government troops into an ambush plot.

“The Abu Sayyaf and the rogue rebels are running low of ammunition and strength so they changed tactics to asymmetric warfare using explosives,” Dolorfino said, citing that the recent attacks staged by the Abu Sayyaf and the rogue rebels against the military detachments and camps were futile and only caused the militants casualties.

“They have observed na namamatayan lang kami sa ambush,” Dolorfino said adding that during the bombing on the cell site two days ago and the spillway road would draw the responding troops.

Maj. Ramon David Hontiveros, spokesman of Westmincom said the sleeping villagers of Barangay Lagtoh were startled from the loud explosion after the bridge nearby was bombed about 3 a.m. yesterday.

Hontiveros said a portion of the lane was damaged but the other portion remained passable to light traffic and no one was reported hurt from the blast.                                          – Roel Pareño