Bungled kidnap attempt led to Cotabato grenade attack

COTABATO CITY , Philippines   – The grenade explosion Monday at a grocery store here was a diversion to allow a kidnap gang to escape, police said yesterday.

Seven people were wounded in the attack that caused panic among residents.

In Maguindanao, police arrested two suspected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in connection with the bombing of a militia outpost in North Upi town on Monday.

Authorities said Noli Mao, 20, and Bobby Tomas, 19, were caught in possession of a hand grenade and a caliber .22 rifle with a defaced serial number and a magazine.

Cotabato City police chief Senior Superintendent Willie Dangane said the kidnap gang’s lookout hurled the grenade at the Co Tiong Bon Grocery Store in the city’s commercial district after he noticed that responding policemen were closing in.

The gang had barged into a store in the city’s commercial district, and tried to snatch the owner, he added.

Police are questioning two men injured in the blast, Oting Samra and Norlem Salim, on suspicion that they could be among the gunmen who tried to kidnap the storeowner, Dangane said.

Witnesses saw the gunmen, with guns tucked in their waists, flee from the store towards the city’s wharf, a known getaway route of criminals.

The suspects, who had already tied up the storeowner and his workers, fled the scene after hearing the explosion at the grocery store, according to Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema.

Police have impounded an Orange Toyota Town Ace passenger van and arrested the driver, Esmael Kauting, and conductor, Rasul Mama. Witnesses saw them near the store during the alleged attempted kidnap.

Eid Kabalu, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) spokesman, refuted the military’s insinuations that rogue MILF members were responsible for the bombing in North Upi.

“As usual, it’s the MILF that gets the whipping whenever there are bombings,” he said.

“Instead of pointing accusing fingers at the MILF right away, the police and the military should investigate deeper into these incidents to determine the identities of the real culprits.”

Wounded soldier dies

An Army ordnance man wounded in an ambush in North Upi Monday has died while undergoing treatment for a bullet wound in the head, the military said yesterday.

Sgt. Richard Ortega died at the Army 6th Infantry Division hospital in Camp Siongco in Maguindanao.   – With Cecille Suerte Felipe