Army kills mastermind in Mindanao bus bombing

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – Military authorities here announced today the death of the alleged mastermind and companions in the bus bombing in Aleosan, Cotabato during law enforcement operation Saturday.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, identified three of the four slain suspects as Norodin Hassan alias Andot, the known leader for military affairs of the Dawlah Islamiya Hassan Group, Abdonillah Hassan alias Don, and Abdonhack Hassan alias Abdon.

Uy said the four were killed in military operation in a remote village in Carmen, Cotabato four days after they allegedly set off an improvised bomb inside a Mindanao Star Bus in Aleosan that left a 5-year-old child dead and hurt six others.

Uy said state forces recovered two assault rifles, ammunition, and other war materials.

“The death of alias Andot and three of his cohort only shows that justice is given to the victims of the Mindanao Star Bus bombing,” Gen. Uy said in a statement.

Gen. Uy said intelligence reports and information from the civilian populace helped security forces to track down the perpetrators in a massive manhunt operation launched a day after the explosion.

Col. Jovencio Gonzales, 602^nd Infantry Brigade commander, said a tipster pinpointed the location of the suspects.

“After we identified the perpetrators responsible for the bomb attack, we immediately launched the manhunt operation to prevent them from doing similar atrocities in other areas thus preventing further loss of lives and damaged to properties,” Gonzales said.

Since the last quarter of last year, 6ID forces neutralized several DI leaders that included DI emir Salahuddin Hassan killed during a clash in Talayan, Maguindanao on Oct. 29, 2021. (Edwin O. Fernandez)