2 hurt as blast hits North Cotabato town

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 6): 2 hurt as blast hits North Cotabato town

Two civilians were slightly hurt when an improvised bomb believed to have been planted by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) exploded in Kabacan, North Cotabato Wednesday night, the military here said.

Colonel Dickson Hermoso, speaking for the 6th Infantry Division, said it could be part of the terror attack by the BIFF following their defeat in the army offensive in Maguindanao last week.

The improvised bomb planted in front of a variety store selling liquefied petroleum gas was fashioned from 81-mm mortar with mobile phone as trigger mechanism. It went off past 8:00 p.m.

Police said two students of University of Southern Mindanao were slightly wounded with shrapnel.

The attack came while police and military forces have been placed on alert after the successful campaign against the BIFF in Maguindanao.

Kabacan is a town in North Cotabatosituated beside the Liguasan marshland in Maguindanao where the BIFF operates.

It has been subjected to previous bombings by suspected lawless elements, extortion gang and BIFF.

With the recent bombing, additional police and Army checkpoints have been set up in the borders of North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=613118