ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat – A suspected bomb courier was killed while his cohort was injured during a shootout with security forces manning a police checkpoint here last Tuesday.
Police Major Ronnie Dardo, spokesman of the Sultan Kudarat provincial police office, said the suspects were aboard a motorcycle when they were flagged down by policemen conducting a random checkpoint in Barangay Kenram here.
Police identified the slain suspect as Ashmer Pikit while the injured suspect was identified as Raden Mamakil, both residents of Barangay Dansuli, Isulan.
Police recovered an improvised explosive device, one .45 caliber pistol, and several ammunition.
Police tagged the suspects as members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters blamed for recent bomb attack on the public market here last Sept. 7 which injured at least seven people.
Authorities are eyeing extortion as possible motive of the attack as Isulan Mayor Maritess Pallasigue confirmed that he received a call from unidentified caller who threatened to bomb the town if she refused to shell out money for the group. (Joseph Jubelag)