KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/12 August) — Two suspected bombers died, one on the spot and the other in a local hospital, when an improvised explosive device went off in front of the provincial office of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) along Barangay Amas, around 1:30 a.m. today, police said.
Senior Supt. Cornelio Salinas, chief of the Cotabato Provincial Police Office, identified the slain alleged bombers as Manampan Dimalen, a resident of Pagalungan, Maguindanao, and Kalim Indigay of Sitio Pagagao, Barangay Patadon this city.
Dimalen, who was reportedly holding the bomb, died on the spot.
Indigay, the alleged lookout and guide, was hit by shrapnel.
Shrapnel also landed on a house in front of the NIA office owned by one Nonong Labog.
But no family member was hit, police said.
Salinas said that a few minutes after the blast they saw a decapitated head of a male and body parts scattered on the road.
He said they saw the wounded Indigay nearby and rushed him to the Cotabato Provincial Hospital.
Salinas said that at the hospital Indigay admitted to his participation [in the bombing] and identified Dimalen as the bomb courier.
Indigay allegedly told police they were paid a big amount for the job. He died after three hours due to severe blood loss.
The bombing took place a day after the regional police office conducted a bomb awareness seminar at the Amas Capitol Complex here.
Today’s blast was the second to hit Kidapawan City since June.
On June 27, an IED fashioned from a 60-mm mortar exploded in front of the provincial office of the Commission on Audit. None was injured by the explosion. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)
