Sarangani governor escapes bomb attack

ALABEL, Sarangani , Philippines  – Police bomb experts yesterday exploded an improvised explosive device which the Sarangani Reform and Reconciliation Organization (Sarro) claimed was intended for Gov. Migs Dominguez, who is seeking re-election under the Sarro-Lakas-Kampi-CMD alliance.

The bomb was found around 1 p.m. in the utility box of a motorcycle parked at a bridge on a highway in nearby Barangay Lun Masla, where Dominguez and his convoy were going to pass through around noon on their way back to the Capitol here.

Police said Dominguez had earlier gone to Glan to inquire about the reported ambush try on Mayor Enrique Yap Jr. on Sunday.

Sarro also claimed that two suspects in the ambush plot had been taken into custody, but refused to give any further details. 

A hitch-hiker reportedly got hold of the bomb after peeping into the box “out of curiosity.” He immediately reported his find to the authorities, and bomb experts were sent to disarm the explosive.

Later, in a press interview, Dominguez said the bomb was meant for him, but “whoever set it up had got it all backward.”

“The bomb didn’t go off on time, and we were safely far away when it supposedly did,” he said.

But the rival camp, the People’s Champ Movement (PCM), expressed skepticism on Dominquez’s theory, that the bomb attack was aimed at him.

“If they (Sarro) are implying that our group has anything to do with the explosion, I say they are hallucinating and making things up to save their crumbling campaign,” said retired regional fire chief Vir Tobias, PCM candidate for board member. – With Jaime Laude, Rose Tamayo-Tesoro