Insurgency: Bomb Attacks

It was early in March when the AFP bombed an ISIS hideout in Lanao del Sur claiming that they intended to wreck havoc during the elections. This week they discovered a bomb making lair that would ostensibly be used to create that chaos.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1169458

Government forces hunting down terrorists in Maguindanao have stumbled upon a makeshift bomb factory of the Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terror group in the province, the military here reported Thursday.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, said the explosives and war materials were discovered late Tuesday by the Army-led Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) forces in Barangay Pagatin of Shariff Saydona Mustapha town.

Uy, also the JFTC commander, said the bomb factory containing assorted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other bomb components are believed to be fabricated by the DI-Toraife Group under Ustadz Esmael Abdulmalik.

Found in a well-camouflaged shanty were 12 assorted container type IEDs; blasting caps; several grams of ammonium nitrate;  black powder; sulfur powder; a 9-volt battery; an anti-personnel claymore mine; ammunition for rocket-propelled grenade launchers; 40mm high explosive anti-tank rounds; laboratory test tube glasses; electric wires; improvised switches; cartridge shell of 57RR; and a remote control of unknown type.

Buses have been on a heightened alert status as someone continues to plant bombs in buses and bus stations in Mindanao.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1169252

Police authorities here and in North Cotabato have taken extra steps to ensure the safety of the commuters against terrorism and bombings.

The stricter safety measures came about after authorities recently foiled a bombing attempt at a bus terminal in Kidapawan City, and the explosion that took place inside another passenger bus while parked in Cotabato City last week.

On Tuesday, Lt. Col. Peter Pinalgan, Kidapawan police director, said a box found unclaimed for three days inside the city integrated public terminal that bomb experts intentionally set off was an improvised explosive device.

Pinalgan said the improvised bomb was mixed with dried fish so that the bomb-sniffing dog would not be able to detect it.

“The scent of dried fish covered the smell of explosive powder that K-9 dogs are trained to identify,” he said in the vernacular.

The extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) has been blamed for the series of bus bombings in Central Mindanao last year.

Authorities said extortion could be behind the bombings of several buses plying major routes in Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato last year.

Police are not sure who is behind these recent bombings. It could be ISIS. It could also be the NPA. Recently bomb making components were seized from an Abu Sayyaf member who is the wife of leader Mundi Swadaan.

http://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com/2022/03/sayyaf-bomber-captured-in-sulu.html

Security forces captured a suspected Abu Sayyaf bomber who is also the wife of a notorious terror leader and bomb expert Mundi Sawadaan in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, officials said Monday.

Officials said the woman, Nursitta Malud alias Kirsita Ismael, was captured over the weekend after soldiers and policemen swooped down on her house in the village of Tulay in the capital town of Jolo.

The 34-year old woman is the second wife of Abu Sayyaf terror leader Mundi Sawadjaan, said Brig. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the 11^th Infantry Division and the Joint Task Force Sulu.

He said troops recovered an 81mm mortar bomb, detonation cord, one detonator, a blasting cap, electric wire, and a nine volt battery, among others.

That will be a big aid to the weakening of the ASG. Another blow is the arrest of the most wanted ASG bandit in Tawi-Tawi.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1169464

Authorities arrested an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandit in a law enforcement operation in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, police reported Thursday.

Capt. Kuhutan Imlani Jr., acting Bongao police chief, identified the arrested ASG bandit as Abu Al, 26, who is listed as one of the most wanted persons in the municipality.

Abu Al was arrested around 9 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Poblacion, Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi.

Imlani said the suspect has a standing warrant of arrest for kidnapping with ransom issued by a Tawi-Tawi court in 2019.

Another significant arrest this week is that of a notorious NPA bombmaker and his two accomplices in Tagum City.  Along with their arrest five others surrendered.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/notorious-communist-terrorist-ct-bombmaker-and-cohorts-neutralized5-others-surrender-in-a-day/

Joint law enforcement operation by the 1001st Infantry “Pag-asa” Brigade and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) XI resulted to the arrest of a CTG notorious bomb-maker along with two others in Tagum City on March 9, 2022.

BGen Jesus P Durante III, Commander of the 1001st Brigade identified the arrested personalities as Victor P Rollon, also known as Rico Rollon alias GO/PONG/MIGO, a bomb maker of Komisyong Mindanao (KOMMID) and Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC); Christine Joy Adorza Dula alias RYE/RAYRAY, Finance Officer of Weakened Guerrilla Front 3, Sub-Regional Committee 4, SMRC; and Chargelyn Monta Casquejo alias GAB/JILLIAN, Political Instructor, Pulang Bagani Command (PBC), Regional Operations Command (ROC), SMRC.

Rollon has a standing warrant of arrest for Murder and Serious Illegal Detention while Dula is wanted for the crime of Rebellion and Insurrection both in Tagum City. On the other hand, Casquejo is wanted for Homicide in Lupon, Davao Oriental.

Recovered from their possession were: two (2) pcs Improvised Explosive Device; one (1) unit 5.56mm M16 Colt rifle; one (1) unit cal. 45 pistol; one (1) piece cal. 45 magazine loaded with seven (7) rounds ammunition; one (1) pc M16 magazine loaded with 9 pcs of 5.56 mm ammunition; stethoscope; thermometer; sphygmomanometer; cellphones, sim cards, and subversive documents.

“The arrest of Rico Rollon, the bomb expert of the CTG paved the way for safer environment for the people. With this, many lives are saved and spared from the atrocities of the Communist Terrorist Group. Moreover, the surrender of numerous personalities in 10ID is a manifestation of the dire situation and near extinction of the CPP-NPA-NDF in Southern Mindanao,” MGen Mempin added.

On March 3rd the AFP foiled an attempted bombing in August del Sur.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1168937

Authorities have averted a bombing plot by a still-unidentified group in Agusan del Sur town, a police official said Thursday.

In a statement, Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., the Police Regional Office – Caraga (PRO-13) director, said three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were planted Wednesday along the National Irrigation Administration Road in Sitios Igang and Quarry, Barangay Basa, Trento town, prompting military and police units to secure the area.

“Personnel from Trento police, together with the 2nd Agusan del Sur Provincial Mobile Force Company, 1303rd Regional Mobile Force Battalion, the Agusan del Sur and PRO-13 intelligence units, and troopers from the 25th Army’s Infantry Battalion responded to the area,” Caramat said.

He added that concerned citizens discovered the IEDs and immediately reported the matter to authorities.

Personnel from the Agusan del Sur Provincial Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit (ADS-PECU) immediately conducted a safe recovery procedure of the IEDs in the area, Caramat said.

Recovered from the site were explosive concoctions contained in an eight-liter plastic container weighing 12.90 pounds (lbs.); an eight-liter plastic container weighing 12.20 lbs.; and a six-liter plastic container weighing 10.50 lbs.

Six blasting caps and a black electric firing wire were also recovered by ADS-PECU at the site.

The authorities are not sure who planted those bombs. It could be any of a number of groups from the NPA to BIFF to ASG or ISIS. Whatever the case bombings, even if infrequently, will continue in Mindanao and elsewhere in the nation until these bombmakers are eliminated.