EXCLUSIVEand (3rd Update) Student dies, 16 hurt in Kabacan IED blast

KIDAPAWAN CITY - The blast that rocked a populated street of Poblacion Kabacan, North Cotabato at about 7 p.m. Sunday hasleft one student dead :16 injured, military and police authorities said Sunday.Two more improvised explosive devices were recovered by responding Army and police bomb disposal units.Development Communications student Monique Mantawil, 19, died in an ambulance while being rushed to a hospital in Davao City. Sr. Inspector Jarwin Castroverde, Kabacan PNP officer-in-charge, in his report North Cotabato Police Provincial Office (CPPO), saidthat responding military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team (EODT)has detonated two unexploded bombs few meters away from the blast site.Most of the wounded were students of University of Southern Mindanao (USM-Kabacan). They were rushed in various hospitals in Kabacan and Kidapawan City for immediate medical attention due to shrapnel injuries David Don Saure, Kabacan disaster official,said at least five of the wounded victims remained in critical conditions. The IED was set offthe gate of Kabacan Central Pilot School, the 6th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office (PAO) said. Two more bombs were discovered at an overpass near the school and were immediately defused by bomb experts, saidCaptain Jo Ann Petinglay of the 6th ID-PAO.Castroverde named those injured and rushed to various hospitals asGiezel Mae Butil,Samra Sembaga,Hartzel Bragat, Tonton Kusain, 21, USM student, Patadon, Matalam, North CotabatoFlo Rohana, Girlie Royles,Rowena Nufies, 17, USM student, Malungon, SarangganiAlbert Pagatpatan, USM student from Alabel, SarangganiRitchie Baguio, of Plang Village, Kabacan Queen Mary Alimuhanid,Muhamed Masukat, 18 USM student,Midsayap, North Cotabato,Ibrahim Bantulan,Arvie Estrella, 20, USM student from Kidapawan CityMervin Lagat andUsman Dimacaling, 38, CVO, Kabacan. Post blast investigation was still on going.Initial report showed the IEDs were fashioned from 60 and 81 mm mortars with mobile phone as trigger mechanism.No one has claimed responsibility. Following the incident, all police units in North Cotabato were placed on heightened alert.