Blast rocks Mlang in Cotabato; no one reported hurt —police

MLANG, North Cotabato—An improvised explosive device went off in front of a sari-sari store in Purok Maharlika, Barangay Bagontapay here on Friday evening, but none was hurt in the incident, a police officer said.

Superintendent Jeofrey Todeno, the town’s chief of police, said the IED went off at about 7 p.m. at the Maghari store along the Mlang-Makilala highway and destroyed jalousies and the wall of the establishment.

An initial investigation showed that a lone suspect got off from a pickup, posed as a customer, and placed the baggage with the IED near the counter.

“It’s unfortunate that the saleslady was unable to recognize the face of the suspect from the gallery of the suspected bombers presented to her” Todeno said.

Police are pursuing at least three possible motives for the incident, including extortion, business rivalry or a retaliatory action for the intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

Todeno said they already have a lead on IED's signature. Bomb experts recovered from the blast site  ruptured 9-volt batteries, wires and nails as the IED's components.

Todeno claimed the IED was not that powerful and was not intended to kill based on the recovered components.

Moreover, he said the IED should have been planted in a crowded place if the intention was to hurt people.

The town of Mlang will celebrate its founding anniversary on August 3. The blast prompted the police to tighten security at the town's entry and exit points.

Mayor Russel Abondano, instructed the police to double their effort to secure the town and its populace. — LBG, GMA News