ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - -The Abu Sayyaf group was tagged behind the bombing attack on the house of a village chairman that left three injured in a coastal village here Sunday after the family had refused payment of extortion demand, police said.
The bomb, an improvised explosive device (IED), was rigged outside the concrete fence of the house of Hadji Attang Mohammad Nur at Flordeliz drive, Barangay Mampang in this city that exploded about 3 a.m. Sunday.
Mohammad Nur, barangay captain of Tigtabon, Sacol island, told police that prior to the bomb attack he received text messages from the Abu Sayyaf group, asking him to give P300,000 as protection money which he turned down, according to Chief Inspector Felixberto Martinez, Police Station 6 commander.
Police are continuing their investigation to determine the motive and the identity of the group behind the bombing attack.
The bomb explosion which damaged the concrete fence, glass window and portion of the house ceiling also injured three of the house occupants including 18-year-old s Salma Akbar, and two minors.
Witnesses told police they noticed a motorcycle that rushed away from the residence of Mohammad Nur before an explosion occurred.
Explosive ordnance team conducting post blast investigation disclosed the bomb was made up of ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) chemical filled in plastic bottle container, with common nails as shrapnel fragments and wrapped in a cloth with commercial time fuse as the triggering device. - Roel Pareño