Cotabato cops found, defused IED from house of Davao bombing suspect

COTABATO CITY – Hours after President Duterte left this city where he launched anti-poverty programs for Mindanao, police and military bomb experts here recovered, and safely defused, an improvised explosive device from the house of the second batch of suspects of the Sept. 2 Davao City bombing.Supt. Romeo Galgo Jr, speaking for Police Regional Office 12 (PRO-12), said the discovery of 81 mm mortar complete with triggering devices (battery and mobile phone) came after the Cotabato City police office received an information about a suspected IED in the house of Mohammad Lalaog Chenikandiyil alias Datu Boi in Barangay Rosary Heights 7, Cotabato City.Galgo said the Cotabato City Police Office received an information about a suspected at about 8 p.m. Immediately bomb disposal unit was dispatched to the area, found the IED and safely defused it. It’s good the information was relayed timely to the police, it saved lives and properties, Galgo told the Inquirer by phone. It would have been bloody had it landed in the wrong hands, he added.Chenikandiyil was one of the four suspects arrested during early Saturday morning joint operations in Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) compound in Barangay Tamontaka and along Ilang-Ilang Street, Cotabato City.Beside Chenikandiyil, the police also arrested Jackson Mangulamas Usi alias Abu Mansor/Jam Zack Villanueva Lopez alias Haron and Ansan Abdulla Mamasapano alias Abu Hamsa, all Cotabato City based members of Maute terror group.Galgo said the IED was safely deactivated using water disruptor at about 10:05 p.m. Saturday.The recovery of IED came hours after President Duterte visited and left the city where he launched comprehensive anti-poverty programs.Police and military authorities said information was verified by follow-up operations made after the arrest last Oct. 4 of the three suspects in the Davao City bombing incident, namely, TJ Tagadaya Macabalang, Wendel Factural, and Musaili Mustapha.Recovered during the Saturday morning operation with search warrants issued by Judge Bansawan Ibrahim of Regional Trial Court Branch 13, include were a .45-caliber pistol with a defaced serial number, its chamber loaded with an ammunition one .38-caliber pistol with serial number 12899593 six .45-caliber rounds five .38-caliber rounds one piece of magazine assembly for a .45-caliber pistol a handheld radio with charger five boxes of ammo for 5.56mm firearm three pieces of 60mm mortar improvised explosive devices one piece of 105mm howitzer improvised explosive device and a hand grenade.The Davao City bombing left 15 dead and at least 60 others injured after the suspect detonated a powerful improvised bomb at the Davao City nigh market.With the arrest of four, the Davao bombing suspects now in government custory rose to seven.Police earlier said a dozen individuals were involved in the Davao bombing.Galgo said the police will continue operations against groups who continue to pose threat to peace loving citizens of Region 12. To the public, please continue cooperating with authorities to thwart terrorism, he added.