Car bomb as weapon of choice: An Overview of car bombs in the Philippines in the last 5 years

      As a car bomb exploded this afternoon along the Tacurong City-Koronadal Highway, killing a bystander and wounding 7 some of whom were members Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Toto Mangungudatu’s convoy, i made a quick search of car bombs in the Philippines, as follows (i’m not an expert on the topic, i just based this on current events) :

     In the last five years, or from 2006 to 2011, four car bombs have been exploded or found in the country: 3 out of 4 somehow related to the political strife in Maguindanao, as follows:

    1) On June 22, 2006 in Shariff Aguad, Maguindanao, a car bomb exploded as the convoy of provincial governor Andal Ampatuan was passing by, killing  five including two relatives of Ampatuan, and wounding 10;

    2) On Jan. 20, 2007 in Datu Saudi Ampatuan Town, Maguindanao, an abandoned car rigged with about 200 kilos of improvised explosives was found by military operatives;  

3) On Jan. 26 , this year, a bomb exploded inside a bus in Makati killing five passengers and injuring scores of others;

 4) The incident this afternoon in Sultan Kudarat killing one bystander and injuring members of the Maguindanao governor’s convoy.

      Three incidents somehow related to the conflicts in Maguindanao may  be considered a pattern. They involve not just one group but apparently the different warring groups — and they seem to have a common weapon of choice. We don’t suppose they share information or technology with each other. So…if the authorities still do not have a theory, one would think that: There was a school or academy in Maguindanao offering courses on the making of car bombs. Or,  there was  a group offering services, training, and materials on the making of car bombs, for the right fee,  to any or both or all of the warring   groups in Maguindanao. Or freelancers offering a workshop on car-bomb- making. Or there was a “Car Bomb Kit” complete with a vehicle, explosive device, and technician packaged somewhere being peddled in these parts.

       The following are the news stories from 2006 to 2011 on car bombs in the Philippines:

 Quote “PHILIPPINES BOMBING KILLS FIVE, INJURES 10. Thursday, June 22, 2006. By the Associated Press. MANILA, Philippines —  A car bomb exploded in a public market in a southern Philippine town early Friday as a convoy carrying a provincial governor was passing by, killing five people wounding 10 others, authorities said.

“The governor, Andal Ampatuan, was unhurt, local army commander Col. Felipe Tabas said.

“The blast at 7:30 a.m. rocked the busy market in Shariff Aguad in Maguindanao province, about 560 miles southeast of Manila, he said.

“He said the bomb was placed in or under a minibus parked nearby, which was loaded with fireworks.

“Among the five killed were two relatives of the governor, said provincial administrator Norie Unas. At least 10 other people were wounded, most of them passers-by, police said.xxx” closed-quote

Quote “Car bomb recovered in southern Philippines. dpa German Press Agency. Published: Saturday January 20, 2007. Cotabato City, Philippines- An abandoned car rigged with about 200 kilos of improvised explosives was recovered by police and military operatives in the southern Philippines, an armed forces  spokesman said Sunday.

       “Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando, a regional military spokesman, said the car bomb was recovered on Saturday parked at the side of a road in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila.

      “The car bomb was found as the military braced for retaliatory attacks from the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebel group for the death of two top leaders – chieftain Khadafi Janjalani and main planner Abu Solaiman – in separate clashes with government troops.” Closed-quote.

Quote “In the Media.JAN 26, 2011 by Leo Reyes. Bomb explosion inside bus in Philippines triggered by cellphone

“The bomb explosion inside a moving passenger bus that killed five passengers in Makati City, Philippines Tuesday was triggered by a cellphone, according to initial reports by police investigators.

“Initial result of the on-going investigations revealed, the bomb is typical of the explosives used by Islamic extremists but authorities would not speculate if indeed it was a terrorist attack as investigation continues.

“General Raul Bacalzo, head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who attended a senate hearing yesterday described the improvised explosive device (IED) used in the bombing as an 81-mm mortar shell with a cell phone as remote trigger.

“Bacalzo said investigators were checking if the same type of IED was used in past terror attacks, particularly in Central Mindanao.” Closed-quote

 “1 killed, 7 hurt as bomb explodes in Maguindanao governor’s convoy.  By Edwin O. Fernandez. Inquirer Mindanao. 4:41 pm | Monday, August 15th, 2011.  COTABATO City, Philippines—Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu narrowly survived a roadside bomb attack that killed one person and injured seven others, including a provincial board member, while they were on their way to a resort to celebrate the governor’s 43rd birthday in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat.

“The very powerful bomb was intended for me,” Mangudadatu, who was riding in his bullet proof van, said minutes after the blast that occurred along the Tacurong City-Koronadal highway.

“The blast scene was about 100 meters from the Tacurong Fitmart. The bomb went off while the convoy of Mangudadatu was passing by.

“One was confirmed dead and seven others were rushed to the hospital. A leg and other body parts of one of the wounded were left inside a mangled Toyota Fortuner.

“ “I was on my way to Genalyn Resort with other Maguindanao local officials to celebrate my birthday when the explosion happened,” Mangudadatu said, adding that he would no longer push through with the celebration scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday.

“Mangudadatu said that as the convoy was moving fast, a parked white KIA Avella car (MDJ-274) suddenly exploded, hitting the black Toyota Fortuner of Maguindanao first district board member Russman Sinsuat, who was among the wounded.