[Inquirer] Philippine police nabbed two men in possession of hand grenades minutes after two explosions rocked a gas station in Tacurong City and injured 15 people on Monday night. Police spokesman Raul Supiter said Waren Gani and his brother, Johari, were seen roaming around the site of the explosions carrying hand grenades after the two blasts hit.An IED first hit the roof of the gas station’s toilet at 6:45 p.m. Bomb experts were about to cordon off the area at 7:10 p.m. when another blast hit the station, injuring nine bystanders, three soldiers and three policemen. A police official described the Tacurong explosions as a "well-planned bombing attack."
The Gani brothers admitted they were members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and could not explain why they were at the blast scene and why they were carrying explosives. Police found on the suspects' mobile phones photographs of the two carrying firearms and wearing fatigue uniforms, Supiter said.
Supiter said personnel of St. John Learning Center in Barangay New Isabela also reported receiving a bomb threat at 5:50 p.m., barely an hour before the first blast occurred. Police noted text messages circulating in the area before the blasts, warning recipients of bombing plots in key cities in South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces, and General Santos City that would be carried out supposedly by Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters to avenge
the deaths of Abu Sayyaf members in last week’s clashes in Bohol province.
Supiter noted similarities between the bombs used here with those set off in previous regional bombings. Police have been eyeing the possible role played by the BIFF, a breakaway group of the MILF, in the attack.
The blast came two weeks after an improvised bomb was set off in front of the Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative office, injuring eight workers.