Mayor: BIFF warned gay players before Datu Piang blast  

COTABATO CITY – A local official in Maguindanao said Moro extremists have forewarned the gays to stop playing volleyball in town.

Mayor Victor Samama of Datu Piang, Maguindanao said the victims, all belonging to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT), were told by followers or sympathizers of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters to refrain from holding the games in the covered court.

A hand grenade or an improvised bomb set off by still unidentified men during a volleyball game at the town covered court Saturday, leaving eight players and spectators injured.

Civilians and police rushed the victims to Abpi-Samama Clinic and Hospital while one was transferred to Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City due to serious shrapnel injuries.

Samama said the volleyball games were not coordinated with the local government unit and that the organizers have violated the quarantine restrictions.

“We just learned after the incident that this group had received a threat and a warning from radical group who are against gays in public,” Samama said.  The gays did not alert the police or local officials about the threat from armed men.

The mayor said the extremist apparently was against gays.

Samama was convinced that the suspects in the bombing and those who attack Datu Piang last December 2020 were the same group who belonged to Dawlah Islamiyah.

In the December attack, the gunmen tried but failed to set on fire a Catholic Church but burned the police patrol car.

Mayor Samama has ordered the local police to prevent local gathering of people such as basketball and volleyball to help prevent contain the spread of COVID-19.

All the victims have sustained shrapnel injuries.

The local police identified them as: Samsudin D Kadtugan, 21; Norodin S Musa, 21; Fahad A Tato, 22; Benzar Macogay, 24; Amid B. Miparanun, 19; Carlo Mobpon,25; Mohamad Wanti, 29 and Tukoy Abo, 13. (FC)