Owner of bomb-laden car traced

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Authorities have traced the owner of the bomb-laden car used in last Monday’s attack on the convoy of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu in Ta­curong City that claimed the lives of two people and wounded several others.

The vehicle, a Kia Pride with license plate MDJ-274, reportedly belonged to a certain Maureen Ella Macasindil of Barangay Maa, Davao City.

The car was reportedly part of the fleet of taxis owned by Macasindil and was reportedly sold sometime last year as the taxi company replaced all its old units with new ones.

However, it could not be ascertained if the Macasindils had anything to do with the attack, as Mangudadatu believed he was the target and that the family of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. was behind it.

According to reports, a person coming from the bomb-laden car ran across the highway before it exploded, as Ma­ngu­dadatu’s convoy passed. The car, reportedly carrying an improvised explosive made from howitzer ammunition, was parked on the roadside fronting the Cherubim Methodist Learning Center along the Alunan Highway in Tacu­rong City.

The blast killed a bystander, tricycle driver Rocky Pareñas, and Maguindanao provincial board member Russman Sinsuat Sr.

Sinsuat was onboard his Toyota Fortuner along with his son, Datu Russman Jr., when the explosion struck them.

One of the young Sinsuat’s legs was amputated as a result of the blast. He was airlifted here Tuesday as he required intensive medical treatment.

Other passengers of the Fortuner who were wounded were identified as Bebot Lauban Barabarang, Noble Abdulah, Mabang Antonio Algaba, Richard Sonza, and Robert Formacion.

The Fortuner was part of the convoy of Mangudadatu who was celebrating his 43rd birthday last Monday.

Mangudadatu said the bomb-laden car was just 10 to 15 meters away from their convoy when it exploded at around 3:20 p.m. last Monday.

Additional police and military forces were deployed in Sultan Kudarat following the attack to mount 24-hour road checkpoints and patrols and prevent vendetta attacks. – With John Unson