2 children die in Basilan bomb explosion

January 30, 2017

Two children died while three were wounded in improvised explosive device explosion in Basilan on Sunday morning.

Lt. Col. Franco Raphael Alano, Western Mindanao Command public affairs officer, said the IED was laid by the Abu Sayyaf Group under Furuji Indama at the vicinity of Al Barka, Basilan.

Alano said the victims were reported to be playing outdoors when they accidentally triggered the IED around 11 am.

“Joint Task Force Basilan responded to the incident as soon as it came to their attention and is currently assessing the incident together with local authorities and come up with measure to avert the recurrence of such a tragic event,” Alano said.

He said Major General Carlito Galvez Jr., head of the Western Mindanao Command said “that this horrendous act perpetrated by the ASG goes beyond savagery and stressed that victimizing innocent civilians, especially children, is simply unacceptable.”

Alano said this is not the first time that innocent children and civilian were victimized.

“Last December 2, 2016, two children also perished while two others were seriously injured during a similar incident in Bgy. Bohe Piyang, Al-Barka last year where the victims also accidentally triggered an IED placed by the ASG along a trail frequented by the locals,” Alano said. Robina Asido/DMS