One killed, seven hurt in Maguindanao bomb blast: military
One civilian was killed while seven, including a minor, were wounded in an improvised bomb explosion in Maguindanao Saturday afternoon.
Lt. Col. John Paul Baldomar, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division, spokesman said the explosion occurred while the members of the LGBT community were conducting a volleyball match at the covered court of Poblacion, Datu Piang around 3:39 pm.
The fatality was entified as Norodin Musa, 21 while the wounded were Fahad Tato, 22; Samsudin Kadtugan, 21; Benzar Macogay, 24; Amid Miparanun, 19; Carlo Mobpon, 25; Tukoy Abo, 13; and Mohamad Wanti, 29.
Baldomar said Musa expired in the hospital Saturday night, while five of the wounded victims were confined in the hospital and two were treated as outpatients.
He said based on initial investigation, an improvised bomb that was made of black powder was "command detonated".
"It was confirmed that IED was used. The component recovered by our EOD on the post blast investigation is black powder, so black powder is the charge that was used and then it is command detonated," said Baldomar.
He said ?investigators are looking into three possible motives: the possible involvement of the local terrorist group in the province including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) or Daulah Islamiyah.
"The BIFF or Daulah Islamiyah may have conducted diversionary attacks because there is an ongoing combat operation against them.? So they are being cornered and affected as many of their members have surrendered so they are trying to divert the focus of the military now," he added.
Baldomar said other motives include possible attacks against LGBT community and the possible involvement of politics.
"We received reports from the ground that the minors who played there and victimized by the explosion allegedly received death threats weeks ago because they are members of the LGBT community, So they received (a) threat weeks that if they will not change because their religion prohibits what they do, they will be held accountable but they do not know where the threat came from," he said.
"The last angle is political, since Datu Piang is one of the hotspots when it comes to elections...? We are also looking at the upcoming election, considering possible demolition jobs as there are few days before the filing of candidacies," he added. Robina Asido/DMS
