2 dead, 43 injured in Iligan blasts

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ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews/18 Dec) – Two persons were killed while 43 others were wounded when bombs, planted by suspects wearing white traditional Muslim garbs as captured on video, exploded at the baggage counters of two shopping centers here early afternoon Thursday, a day before President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s scheduled visit to this city.

Col. Nicanor E. Dolojan, commanding officer of the Army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade, said the suspects were members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under Commander Bravo. But he was also quick to say that he was “not associating the suspects to any religious beliefs because anyone can wear Tabligh (a Muslim religious group) attires.”
The explosion happened at 1:35 and 1:55 at Unicity Commercial and Jerry’s Shopping Center, respectively. Both are within stone’s throw from each other on the same side of Aguinaldo St. right in the middle of town, heavy with both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Both baggage sites were totally wrecked.

Cousins Erwin Suico and Jonas Badelle, who were working as baggage boys at Jerry's, died on the spot. Their bodies were brought to the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes where bereaved family gathered while crying and comforting each.
“Pait kayo ning ilang gibuhat sa akong anak (What they did to my son is so painful),” said Erwin’s mother, a resident of Lumbatin, barangay Pugaan of the city. “Dili pa sya mabalsamar kay gipangita pa ang iyang usa ka bukton ug usa ka kamot. Guba kaayo ang iyang dughan (They could not embalm him yet because they were still looking for his shoulder and one arm. His chest is beyond recognition).”
“Unsa may sala sa mga baggage keeper nga ila mang buhaton didto (What are the baggage keepers’ faults that they planted the bombs there)?” she said, sobbing.
Suico left behind a wife six months pregnant.
Most wounded victims were brought to the government-run Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital.
They are Alma Mae Mendez, 16; Rowena Encio, 29; Romeo Maguilan, 41; Sairah Polao, 30; Jefres Cainglit, 23; Perfecta Atwil, 57; Adelina de Guzman, 50; Leticia Traya; Valentina Frances; Ariel Gatab, 14; Timoteo Sarate, 20; Antonio Pasco, 37; Reryando Rulona, 45; Jun Rey Bation, 19; Felix Sumagale, 49; Lowel Sumbi, 19; Dan Luba, 42; Candelaria Laranag, 30; Antonieta Merlo; Camaroding Sumagayan Cali, 5; Marjun Alferez, a security guard.
Severely injured are Joeris Kainglit; Urly Break Sumingut; Fatimah Macadato; Michael Arquilita, 21; Desiree Moralde, 18; Wilbert Enquito, 20; Reynaldo Bout, 24, a police assigned in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte; and PO1 Marvin Apostol.
Christian Okoy, 3, and his sister Mary Jane, who were previously admitted at GTLMH, were transported to a hospital in Cagayan de Oro City, 88 kilometers away, late afternoon.
Admitted at the Dr. Uy Hospital are Leonardo Batoon, 26; Jorly Gomonod, 18; Jalileah Mangondato,16; Florita Abarquez, 39; Maan Abarquez, 5; Delfin Anghay,39; and Angie Hipos, 28.
Tita Casisner was discharged from Dr. Uy after getting treatment for her superficial wounds. Thomasa Dingal was also admitted at the E & R Hospital.
At the Mindanao Sanitarium and Hospital (MSH), admitted victims are Mary Alporque, 39; Roger Alporque, 47; Floro Lachica, 41; and midwifery student Najmah Basher. Alporque’s two children and a certain Evangeline Actub, who sustained minor wounds, were discharged from MSH after first aid medication.
Basher, a Maranao student, is in an extremely critical condition with numerous shrapnel wounds in her body.
Her attending physician, Dr. Anastacio Gayao, has already forewarned her family that “there is difficulty now to repair her physical state because she is wounded in her vital body parts.” If not for the oxygen tank, she could no longer breathe on her own, the doctor said.
Basher’s relatives were outraged. Mona Ramalan, who was helping her at the hospital, said: “If they will take life, they will have to repay with life.”
“If this incident was indeed perpetrated by the MILF, they should spare us civilians. The MILF should realize that they are victimizing both Christians and Muslims,” she said while shedding tears.
“They can go on with their struggle, but not by this means,” said Ramalan.
Dolojan showed to MindaNews a video clip which he said was sourced from Unicity’s surveillance camera showing two males leaving a black backpack at the store’s baggage center a few minutes before the explosion. In showing the video clip to MindaNews four times, Dolojan attributed the suspects’ white loose attire to the Tabligh.
“We’re not associating the suspects to any religious beliefs because anyone can wear Tabligh attires,” he said. “Probably they wore those clothes because these are religious attires and are not considered as threats because, you know, we have sensitivities, too,” Dolojan said.
“Why they’d wear this? That’s how they work to propagate their evil interventions. This is a barbaric act that victimizes civilians,” he added.
The suspects’ faces are unrecognizable because the surveillance camera was placed above looking down, and the suspects were wearing turbans.
Dolojan expounded that most of the fragments recovered by bomb experts doing the investigation have similar signatures to other bombings made by members of the MILF. The incident happened a day before the arrival of President Arroyo. The President is expected to grace the inauguration of the processing plant of Sukang Pinakurat, a vinegar product with lots of spices that has become a hit in many parts of the country.
“The security plan for the President’s visit is in place,” Dolojan assures.
“We cannot say that the bombing was a statement against the President’s visit. There are many factors to consider, although from the start, the MILF already has its attack plans on the city,” Dolojan explained.
Sr. Supt. Virgilio Ranes, city police director, said that “terrorism is the only motive of this bombing to threaten us all.”
He told reporters that because Iligan’s limited police force is focused on securing Christmas-related activities, policemen are overstretched with security tasks.
Mayor Lawrence Cruz, who is on official travel in Manila, said in a radio broadcast that the bombings is “worrisome and could generate anger,” noting that Iligan is still in the process of rebuilding the city after the August 18 bombings and the MILF attacks in neighboring Kauswagan and Kolambugan towns in Lanao del Norte a day after. “Now, this again,” he said.
Cruz said that, together with Col. Benito de Leon of the Army’s103rd Infantry Brigade, he will convene the disaster coordinating committee and the peace order council of the city later today to discuss contingent measures and security plans.
“We will not rest until the suspects are caught,” he said as he asked for volunteers to donate blood for the victims.
The MILF could not be reached for comment. (Violeta M. Gloria / MindaNews)