COTABATO CITY — A Tuesday morning roadside blast in South Upi, Maguindanao province killed a motorist while another civilian was wounded.
Mayor Reynalbert Insular of South Upi, said an improvised improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at 5:45 a.m. along the highway in Barangay Poblacion Romongaob.
Insular said the police report indicated that the victim was riding on a motorbike with a back-rider heading toward Cotabato City when the explosion occurred.
Police identified the victim as Alberto Delos Santos, 40, a member of Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) of Barangay Purikay, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat province.
With the incident, Insular called on his constituents to “Refrain from going out unless necessary as authorities have set up strict checkpoints around town.”
No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing and police and Army bomb experts are still determining the IED composition.
Recently, more soldiers have been deployed in the town after a series of violence and harassment, including an ambush against Insular and a town councilor.-Newsline
