Hero stops Tacurong market bombing

By Edwin Fernandez
Inquirer

CAMP SIONGCO, Shariff Kabunsuan–An alert used clothing (ukay-ukay) vendor, police and military authorities yesterday foiled a bombing attempt in a densely populated public market in Tacurong City.

Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesperson of the military’s 6th Infantry Division, said a suspected terrorist group allied with the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah planted a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) at a stall selling used clothing along a busy street in Tacurong City, an agricultural city rocked by more than a dozen bomb attacks in the past two years.

The vendor noticed the explosive left unattended near the stall of his merchandise at about 7 a.m. He immediately carried the device to a children’s park and reported his discovery to the police.

“He actually prevented what could have been a bloody Wednesday morning,” Ando told the Inquirer.

1Lt. Francis Señoron, team leader of the Army’s bomb disposal team, promptly defused the home-made bomb and prevented injuries and death to innocent civilians.

He described the IED as “very powerful.” It was fashioned from three live 60 mm mortar projectiles packed with jagged fragments of cast iron, nails, and rigged with a battery-operated trigger mechanism.

Ando said the IED was placed inside a black bag left by still unidentified men at a makeshift stall owned by Joselito Baylon, a dealer of imported used clothing.

“It would have hurt many people and caused major damage,” said city police chief, Supt. Teng Tocao.

“One of the workers of Mr. Baylon was so vigilant that he immediately suspected the bag left unattended by a man,” Ando said.

“What is remarkable was that he risked his life by carrying the bag and brought it to the plaza where no one would be hit should the bomb explode,” Ando said.

Baylon told police he has no known enemies.

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