Gov. Mendoza offers P100K for info on Kabacan bombers
Breaking News • 14:59 PM Mon Nov 17, 2014
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By:
Edwin Fernandez, DXMS and DXND Radyo Bida
KIDAPAWAN CITY
– North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza today offered a P100,000 reward for
anyone who can provide information leading to the identification of the
suspects who set off improvised bomb in Kabacan, North Cotabato that left one
student dead and 16 others wounded Sunday night.
The
provincial leadership condemns such barbaric act. It is downright disappointing
to see innocent lives affected by this cowardly act. This is insane,” the angry
Mendoza told DXMS and DXNDRadyo Bida Monday.
As your
Governor, I am hurt and angry. The government invested so much resources and
developmental programs to bring peace and order in North Cotabato.
Unfortunately, there are those who want to sabotage all our sincere efforts,”
she said.
I ask every
Cotabateño not to succumb to fear but stand our ground against those who bring
conflict and criminality in our province. Christians, Muslims and Lumads should
not allow animosity to divide Cotabato,” Mendoza said even as she called for
everyone to be vigilant.
Killed while
being rushed to Davao City was Monique Mantawil, 19, development communication
student of University of Southern Mindanao (USM), according to Sr. Inspector
Jarwin Castroverde, Kabacan PNP officer-in-charge.
Castroverde
said the improvised bomb fashioned from 60 or 81 mm mortar was set off at about
7 p.m. while students, pedestrians were near near the overpass in front of
Kabacan Central Pilot Elementary School.
No one has
claimed responsibility in the attack.
Lt. Colonel
Audie Edralin, 7th Infantry Division chief, said another IED was
found by Army bomb experts atop the overpass and was safely defused.
Military and
police officials believed the bombing was a diversionary action while
government forces were pursuing members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters (BIFF) in nearby town of Pikit, also in North Cotabato.
The bombs
which was set off through mobile phone has the signature of the BIFF,” Edralin
said.
Join me in
embracing peace as we demand justice for all the victims of this senseless
adventurism,” she said.
Over the
weekend, two persons died when hit by stray mortars at the height of skirmishes
between BIFF and the military in Maguindanao-North Cotabato borders, triggered
by BIFF harassment on Army detachments.
Police
authorities in the province are yet to solve the bombing of a United Church of Christ
in the Philippines that left three persons dead.
Aside from
BIFF, the province is faced with threats from communist New Peoples’ Army and
drug syndicates.
Help us
contain the problem of illegal drugs because most of those who carry out
violence are involved in the use of drugs,” she appealed to the public.
Peace and
order is everybody’s business, let’s support our PNP and AFP, your government
is working for the safety of all but we need your support,” she said, adding
that financial assistance will be extended to the family of the lone fatality.