Cops recover improvised bomb in Tacurong City

Police in Tacurong City recovered before dawn Thursday an improvised explosive device (IED) fashioned from a mortar. The recovery comes more than two weeks after a car bomb explosion killed two people belonging to the convoy of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, who is believed to be the target of the August 15 attack. Authorities, however, have yet to determine if the incidents are connected. In a radio interview, Sultan Kudarat police chief Senior Superintendent Danilo Peralta said the IED was seen along the highway of Tacurong City at about 5 a.m. "Kaninang 5 a.m., may nakita sa highway sa Tacurong City, immediately in-inform sa kapulisan (It was seen at 5 a.m. at the highway at Tacurong City. We were immediately called to the scene)," Peralta told radio dzBB. He said security had been tight in the province in preparation for a festival this coming week. He said security measures included checkpoints. Peralta said they are not discounting the perpetrators may have abandoned the explosives after seeing police checkpoints in the area. "Hindi pa natin masasabi kasi under intelligence at investigation effort natin (As of now we cannot speculate on who was behind this. Our intelligence and investigation efforts are still ongoing)," he said. — RSJ, GMA News