P100,000 reward up for North Cotabato bombing suspects

KIDAPAWAN CITY - NorthCotabato Governor EmmynlouMendoza is set to reward at least P50 thousand cash to people that could give authorities tips as to the identities of those involved in the series of grenade throwing incidents in Kabacan town. This is aside from the reward money worth P50 thousand issued earlier by Kabacan Mayor Herlo Guzman. In a statement, Mendoza said that her peace and security efforts were again ‘put to test’ with the grenade blasts in Kabacan town and the massacre of five members of a Maguindanaon family in nearby Carmen town. With this, Mendoza said she immediately ordered the reactivation of Task Force Kabacan and sustained police operations along the national highway and in areas considered as problematic or ‘hot spots’. Also, members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) in at least 17 municipalities in Cotabato province underwent refresher course on proper gun handling and other security measures. The BPATs, according to Mendoza, are considered ‘force multipliers’ that could help in crime prevention. Meantime, Mendoza has released burial assistance to relatives of those slain in the massacre of members of Agal family and medical assistance to wounded victims. On Monday, five members of Agal family were killed while three others, also with the same surname, were wounded when at least four suspects, armed with high-powered guns, strafed with bullets their house located at Purok-Uno, Barangay Ugalingan. Authorities hinted rido or clan wars as behind the killings.