4 hurt in Maguindanao town blast

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines --- Four villagers were badly  injured Wednesday in a roadside bombing in Barangay Sambolawan in Datu Salibo town.

The incident came less than 24 hours after members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters simultaneously attacked Army detachments along a highway in the adjoining Barangays Magaslong and Buayan in nearby Datu Piang town, also in the province.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the bandits behind the roadside bombing could have targeted a convoy of soldiers, but missed when the blasting mechanism of their improvised explosive device malfunctioned.

The explosive went off after combatants of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion had passed by, en route to Maguindanao’s Datu Saudi town, about six kilometers away.

“The explosive went off late so the convoy was spared. It is very saddening though to see four innocent civilians get hurt in the process instead,” Hermoso said.

The victims were rushed by responding barangay officials to a hospital for medication.