By Florante S. Solmerin

ANOTHER improvised explosive device (IED) exploded, this time just outside a Catholic church, yesterday that killed four persons including a boy and hurt 27 other churchgoers the military quickly blamed to lawless Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Cotabato City.


Col. Jonathan Ponce, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the fatalities include two soldiers, a lechon vendor and a boy whose names could not immediately made available.

Ponce said initial investigation showed the bombing happened at around 8:45 a.m. just as churchgoers were beginning to fill up the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral for the second Sunday mass of the day.

Senior Supt. Willie Dangane, Cotabato City police chief, said the EID was set off when combat patrol vehicle of the 38th Infantry Battalion with soldiers on board was passing a lechon stall near the front of the church located at the corner of Macacua Street and Quezon Avenue.

The side of the military vehicle was partially damaged.

Ponce said the EID was placed under the lechon stall fatally killing one of the vendors and injured some others.

Bomb shrapnel and flying objects also hit churchgoers who were about to enter the cathedral.

“One victim believed to be vendor’s body was recovered from the debris. The other victims including a boy died while undergoing treatment in the hospital,” Dangane said.

Reports said Fr. Froi Cordero, a priest, confirmed there were 27 people injured in the blast and were all rushed to the hospital.

“The special operations group of the MILF is behind this,” Ponce said in a text message.

“They are getting desperate because of the military operations. They are no longer choosing their targets. They are targeting even the worshippers,” he added.

Last Saturday, another blast caused by a 60-milimeter mortar explosive occurred in Buayan village in Datu Piang town, Maguindanao, injuring Kudting Latip, Adshare Akmad, and Mohaliden Undungan.

Another 81mm mortar explosive was discovered near the scene of the blast. Members of the Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion had cordoned off the area while waiting for operatives from the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team of the military to detonate the 81-mm mortar explosive.