Army troops seized 'hot' lumber in Sultan Kudarat
DAR launches 2 projects in Zamboanga del Norte
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Zambo village leaders to play active role in disaster response PAGE 4
Authorities fail to arrest ambushers of 3 Moro men
Lawmakers denounce Aquino's stance on 'pork barrel'
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Human rights group opposes new US ambassador to the Philippines
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BOMBING SPREE
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hilippine author ities hav authorities have little-known shadowy group e linked a little-kno wn shado wy gr oup called hilippines ”which is fighting to IIslamiz slamiz e the rrestiv estiv e rregion egion of Philippines hilippines”which slamize estive “Khilafah in P Mindana o. Leaders of the gr oup rremains emains unkno wn, but one of themU sman indanao group unknown, themUsman Hapids ee men who detonated a bomb in apids,, has been tagged as one of thr three Cagayan de Or o City in M indanao Oro Mindanao indanao.. Just last week, seven talion. “The soldiers were ments. The attacks came days soldiers were wounded in a slightly wounded and are new wave of bombings in back to their unit to join the after a deadly bombing in continuing law enforcement Cotabato City that killed 9 the South. Officials said a road- operation against the auxil- people. Authorities are still investigating who were beside bomb was detonated iary threat group,” he said. Hermoso did not iden- hind the attack which ocby the group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Move- tify the threat group, but pre- curred during the holy of ment - an ally of Khilafah - vious military statements re- month of Ramadan. Most of the victims in as a military truck passed fer this to Bangsamoro Ison the village of Nabundas lamic Freedom Fighters, the August 5 bombing in in Maguindanao’s Shariff blamed for the spate of at- Cotabato City aree Muslims, tacks against military targets according to the Mindanao Saydona Mustapha town. Human Rights Action Cen“The soldiers were on in central Mindanao. A bomb also exploded ter. a law enforcement operaIt also released a detailed tion when the attack oc- last week in North Cotabato’s curred,” Col. Dickson Midsayap town, but authori- map showing where the Hermoso, a spokesman for ties said no casualties had bombing occurred - Sinsuat the 6th Infantry Division, been reported in the attack. Avenue – a busy road that told the regional newspa- The improvised bomb ex- leads to Cotabato Regional ploded outside a pawnshop Medical Center, Notre Dame per Mindanao Examiner. He said the wounded in downtown area and the Hospital, Al-Nor Commertroops belong to the 2nd powerful blast damaged sev- cial Complex, and the headMechanized Infantry Bat- eral offices and establish- quarters of the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao. “This is the city's main artery and easily one of the most crowded areas in Cotabato City, especially during rush hour,” it said. “As of mid-day, fatalities now total 9, all of whom appear to be Bangsamoros. The list of injured is mixed ethnicities, but mostly Bangsamoros.” The bomb was planted in a car parked along the avenue and was detonated remotely, although forensic experts have not determined the type of improvised explosive used in the attack. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. But Abu Misri, a spokesman for the the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, who were
The aftermath of the deadly bombing in Cotabato City in southern Philippines. ( photos by Mindanao Human Rights Action Center and Mark Navales)
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earlier suspected of carrying out the attack, has strongly denied any hand in the bombing. Authorities said Khilafah is also an ally of an underground militant group also fighting for the separation of Basilan and Sulu provinces called “ Islamic Emirate Of Sulu-Basilan, Philippines.” Most of its members are young Abu Sayyaf fighters from Basilan and Sulu, which is part of the Muslim autonomous region. Condemnation Suara Bangsamoro, a cause-oriented group based in Mindanao, has joined various groups in condemning the bombing and called on the government to thoroughly investigate the attack. It fears that Moros in Mindanao would again be blamed for the bombing. “Suara Bangsamoro is saddened that the killing of innocent civilians happened at the time that the Moro people are observing fast in the month of Ramadan. We are bothered by the bombing incidents, in light of the warning issued by the US State Department on August 2 about possible terrorist threats from Al-Qaeda network against US interests in Middle East and North Africa.” “Much disturbing is the video of Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri that circulated in the media hours after the US State Department advisory, accusing the US government as behind the overthrowing of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt. We fear that as a consequence of the advisory, state authorities will want to direct their investiga-
tions in Moro communities in Mindanao which they suspect of hiding Al-Qaeda terrorist cells,” Amirah Ali Lidasan, the group’s spokesperson said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. She said in the past, this kind of operation has led to the rounding up and detention of innocent Moro civilians as well as heightened military operations in Moro communities. The Liga ng Makabagong Kabataan also condemned the series of bombings and said justice must be served to the victims of the violence. “We strongly denounce any attack to civilian population of whatever purposes it may. We believe that this is an orchestrated and there are groups of people behind these. We should not allow these trouble-makers to win in their agenda to spread fear, panic and hatred among us,” it said. “We call on authorities to maximize all efforts available without jeopardizing due process to bring before the law those culprits and behind of these bombings. We call the attention of the authorities while in pursuit for justice not to curtail human rights and due process. Thus, we reiterate that militarist and militarization would never be an effective response to this. We also call on the peace loving communities to cooperate in bringing the suspects before justice and importantly safeguard the victories of the peace processes in the region while continue to demand for an inclusive process.” (Mindanao Examiner)
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