Army tags Jemaah Islamiyah, MILF in Sultan Kudarat siege

KORONADAL CITY , Philippines  – Security forces in Central Mindanao suspected that the al-Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiyah and special operations group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were involved in Good Friday’s bomb explosion in a coastal town in Sultan Kudarat province.

On Friday dawn (at around 5:30 a.m.), an improvised explosive device went off in front of Asen General Merchandize located in Fort Lebak in the town of Kalamansig in Sultan Kudarat province.

Chinese-Filipino businessman Chenda Chua reportedly owned the said store.

Though no one was reported hurt or killed in the said bomb explosion, it caused fears to some traders and residents there, Sultan Kudarat police director Senior Superintedent Benhur Mongao said.

Lt. Colonel Jonathan Ponce, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division based in Awang in Maguindanao province, said the IED that exploded in Kalamansig was made of 60mm mortar with mobile phone as trigerring device.

“It’s the signatures of Jemaah Islamiyah and Special Operations Group of the MILF. They are known for using such kind of improvised explosive device,” Ponce said.

Ponce said the bomb that exploded in Kalamansig was similar to the type of explosives blasted in previous months in urban centers in the provinces of Maguindanao, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and other parts of Central Minda­nao region.

Mongao, however, said they are looking into the possible involvement of the notorious Al-Khobag syndicate in the Ka­lamnsig blast, citing the fact that the bomb exploded in front of the trader’s store there.