IED exploded in North Cotabato, no casualty were reported

Miami
November 12, 2008
Story: IED exploded in North Cotabato, no casualty were reported

A store selling corn and copra (dried coconut) was hit by an improvised explosive device Wednesday morning in North Cotabato, police official said.

The incident occurred at around 4:15 am on the store owned by Jose Roy Mangunay at barangay Poblacion, Pikit, North Cotabato.

Sr. Inspector Elias Dandan, Chief of Police of Pikit, said there were no casualties from the explosion but the lumber in front of the store were damaged because of the impact of the explosion.

Dandan said, Mangunay informed them that exactly a week ago he received an extortion letter asking for money but no amount was indicated. The group introduced themselves to Mangunay as “Red Spider.”

“It is our first time to hear such group, maybe they are new or simply change the name of an old group,” Dandan said in a phone interview with Manila Shimbun.

However, the investigators are looking into an angle if the Red Spider has any connection with Al-Khobar group who is also known to be an extortion group.