Kabacan PNP link BIFF in Sunday's deadly blast

KABACAN, North Cotabato - Police authorities here believed that Sunday night's bombing here that left a 19 year-old student dead and wounded 16 otherscould be the handiwork of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).authorities said. In his report to North Cotabato police office,Senior Inspector Jarwin Castroverde, Kabacan OIC police chief,said the blast could be a retaliatory attack by the BIFF to divert the attention of the military conducting manhunt operations in nearby towns. However, Castroverde also said that police are not discountingthe possibility that it was a handiwork of an Organized Crime Group (OCG) operating in Kabacan as revenge in killing two of its members during the July shootout here. Suspected carnappers identified as Esmael Lucas and Baclaran Balabagan were killed when they traded shots with police personnel in Barangay Osias.Castroverde said that the army’s bomb experts have already identified the bomb that went off a top of the overpass along the national highway fronting the Kabacan Central Pilot Elementary School (KPES). The bomb was fashioned from 60 mm mortar with mobile phone as triggering device,” Castroverde said. North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza has ordered thorough probe and bring the perpetrators behind bars to give justice to all victims. Governor Mendoza said the provincial government will also shell out P100, 000 rewards to those who can pinpoint and identify the suspects. Mayor Herlo Guzman also condemned the attack and also offered andadditional P100,000 cash rewards. We condemn this barbaric act. However we assure our constituents that your Local Government Unit (LGU) is doing everything to ensure safety of our people, Mayor Guzman said. Florence Mantawil, mother of Monique, a lone fatality in the blast asks the authorities to conduct deeper investigation and asks the Kabacenos to be vigilant all the time to prevent similar incident to happen in the future. Although it’s really pains me losing my precious daughter, I will accept it perhaps it was Allah’s will,” Florence said in Filipino. I know you also have children. Your conscience will never let you sleep soundly at night,” Florence added. Four blast victims remained in critical condition in hospital in Kidapawan City. They all sustained head wounds when hit by shrapnels from the explosion.