ILOILO – Wednesday morning’s detonation of what was believed to be an improvised explosive device (IED) in the boundary of barangays Pangilihan and Canawili in Janiuay town failed to derail the groundbreaking of a provincial government agro-forestry support facility in the neighboring village of Panuran.
But who were behind the explosion and who were the targets?
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has launched an investigation.
The explosion happened around 9:10 a.m. while personnel of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion Region 6 and the Armed Forces of the Philippines were conducting a clearing operation prior to the groundbreaking of the Japan International Cooperation Agency-funded agro-forestry support facility.
No one was hurt.
Residents claimed seeing two persons fleeing the area after the explosion. They believed those persons were members of the New People’s Army (NPA), said Police Colonel Gilbert Gorero, IPPO director.
‘GUV NOT THE TARGET’
Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. would have led the groundbreaking but begged off. He just returned from Metro Manila and was cautious not to expose himself to people, citing the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic “although may negative RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test ako.”
He declined to speculate on the explosion.
“Hulaton naton ang imbestigasyon sang police para mabal-an gid naton kon sin-o naghimu kag kon ano gid ang tuyo,” Defensor said.
Gorero, meanwhile, believed the targets were “only the government forces, not Defensor.”
SAME SUSPECTS?
On Dec. 17, 2020, an IED exploded in Barangay Balicua, Tubungan, Iloilo when policemen passed by the area.
No one was hurt in the explosion but their patrol car was damaged.
Gorero said he ordered the Janiuay and Tubungan police chiefs to compare notes on the explosions.
“It could be the same suspects in Tubungan town, but we are still conducting an investigation,” Gorero said./PN
