Government soldiers have foiled a supposed bombing incident after they safely defused an improvised explosive device (IED) allegedly planted by Abu Sayyaf Group along the side of a road in Patikul, Sulu province.
Lt. Col. Domingo Robles Jr., commander of the Philippine Army’s 35th Infantry Battalion, said in a statement that operatives disarmed the IED on Sunday afternoon in Sitio Daan Putih, Barangay Anuling in Patikul.
The recovered components of the IED include three electric blasting caps, a six-meter wire, one-meter detonating cord, one-gallon ammonium nitrate fuel oil, 12 volts motorcycle battery, 128 four-inch common nails, and 37 10 mm two-inch steel bars.
The IED was turned over to the Philippine National Police-Provincial Explosive Canine Unit.
Robles said the IED’s location was tipped off by concerned residents in the area.
He said troops were then immediately deployed along with their K9 teams.
“After cordoning off the area and confirming the presence of the IED, it was then subsequently defused and successfully recovered,” Robles said in a statement.
Col. Giovanni Franza, commander of the 1102nd Infantry Brigade, said government troops are believed to be the target of the IED.
For his part, Brig. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of Joint Task Force-Sulu, commended the vigilance of the residents and the efforts of the troops in stopping any terroristic attempt of the Abu Sayyaf Group, which he believed is behind the planting of the IED.
“We’ve been tightening our efforts in suppressing this terrorist group. The JTF-Sulu will continue to put an end to terrorism here in this province in the soonest time possible. We will not stop until we zero in on the enemies and their leadership. We will continue to do our mandate and strengthen our capabilities to perform our duties to protect our fellow Filipinos here in the province of Sulu,” Patrimonio said.
On Aug. 24, 2020, two bombs simultaneously exploded in downtown Jolo also in Sulu that left 14 people dead and 75 others wounded.
