No leads yet on North Cotabato blast

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines – Investigators still have no leads on the identities of the perpetrators of Wednesday’s bombing in Mlang town that left a resident dead and 35 others wounded.

North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza urged local officials to exert more effort to prevent similar incidents.

“I am asking the local officials of Mlang to strengthen their resolve in protecting our people from further barbarism. This act has no place in a civilized society. I reiterate our firm stand against any form of violence on our people,” Mendoza said in a statement.

Mendoza, who also chairs the multi-sectoral provincial peace and order council, condemned the bombing and described it as a “diabolic act” by people “trying to sabotage our domestic peace and development initiatives intended to improve the lives of the Muslim, Christian and Lumad sectors in the province.”

It was the second bombing in Mlang since November, when two persons were killed and 22 others were wounded when an IED was set off at a billiard hall near the town center.

Mlang Mayor Joselito Piñol thanked barangay officials, religious leaders and Muslim and Christian elders for their help in bringing the wounded in Wednesday’s explosion to various hospitals.

Piñol said he would convene the municipality’s peace and order council soon.

Chief Superintendent Wendy Rosario, Southern Mindanao Regional Police Office director, said the region has been placed on heightened alert following the series of bombings in Central and Northern Mindanao, including the Mlang incident.