EXPLOSION ROCKS COTABATO HIGHWAY; ROAD CLOSED AS POLICE CONDUCT PROBE

By Edwin Fernandez

Philippine Daily Inquirer

PIKIT, Philippines – Unidentified armed men set off an improvised explosive device on a highway here Monday morning, police and military authorities said.

Senior Inspector Jojie Nicolas, speaking for the North Cotabato police provincial office, said the explosion occurred at 6:05 a.m.

“Nobody was hurt, we are still investigating,” Nicolas said.

He said the highway between Barangay (villages) Batulawan and Poblacion, Pikit was temporarily closed while Army and police bomb experts were conducting post blast investigation.

Nicolas said the blast was about five meters from the busy highway.

Nicolas said the suspects may have planned to set off the IED somewhere else but due to the presence of policemen, they had changed plan and left the explosive at a roadside instead.

No one has claimed responsibility.

Colonel Dickson Hermoso, regional Army spokesperson, said soldiers were deployed along the highway to ensure the safety of commuters traveling along portions of the Cotabato-Davao highway.