MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato, (PNA) — Police arrested here today a suspected bomber shortly after he planted an improvised explosive device (IED) in front of a hotel and restaurant here.
Supt. Renante Delos Reyes, Midsayap police chief, identified the suspect as Abdulgani Malang Abas, 42, a passenger motorcycle (habal-habal) driver and resident of Barangay Tugal, Midsayap, North Cotabato.
Delos Reyes said civilians near Hill Park and Restaurant along crossing Quezon Boulevard and national highway made a citizens’ arrest on Abas at 11:45 a.m. who they said was acting suspiciously.
When police came to check on Abas, he admitted the box that contained two durian fruits was an IED.
According to Abas, a woman flagged him down in Barangay Agriculture and asked to be driven to said restaurant.
Once at the area, Abas claimed the woman left supposedly to buy something from a store nearby but never returned.
Abas said he was forced to leave the box at the roadside since the woman was nowhere to be found.
The area was thickly populated as it also serves as bus and van terminal to and from Midsayap town.
But civilians confronted and prevented him from leaving until the police arrived.
Responding bomb experts detonated the IED after bomb sniffing dogs sat on it.
Delos Reyes said the IED was fashioned from 60 mm mortar with mechanized timer as trigger mechanism.
Abas denied he carried the IED and insisted the box was owned by an unidentified woman.
Midsayap had been marred by a series of bomb attacks in the past, including the bombing of a pawnshop in August.