IED discovered, destroyed at Maguindanao power coop grounds

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — Ordnance experts on Thursday destroyed a home-made bomb found on the premises of the office of a power utility cooperative.
 
The improvised explosive device left in the compound of the Maguindanao Electric Cooperative (Magelco) in Barangay Upper Capiton was fashioned from a 60-mm mortar projectile rigged with a blasting mechanism that could be triggered by mobile phone.

Army and police bomb experts destroyed the IED, neatly placed in a box, with an explosive disruptor to rip its components apart.

Police Lt.Col. Erwin Tabora, Datu Odin Sinsuat municipal police chief, said Friday they are still trying to determine who planted the improvised bomb.

Probers are also looking into the possibility that the incident could be related to the squabbles for leadership of cooperative officials managing Magelco.

The power utility repeatedly hit the news last month due to misunderstandings among its general manager and members of the cooperative’s executive board.

Maj. Gen. Juvymay Uy of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division said Friday that they will help the Datu Odin Sinsuat police in the investigation.