Unidentified men launched three bomb attacks in Lanao del Norte Tuesday in an apparent bid to sabotage the Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite yesterday but security officials said the explosions did not scare voters to cast their votes.
In fact, Director General Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police, said that at least 50 percent of the registered voters have cast their votes as of noon yesterday.
“These were probably intended to scare the people for BOL plebiscite. But these are all under investigation and as of now, there are already two persons of interest,” said Albayalde.
“But the voting started 8 a.m. Everything is peaceful and we continue to secure polling centers in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato,” he added.
At around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, an improvised explosive device exploded in Barangay Maranding in Lala, Lanao del Norte, followed by another blast near the multi-purpose gym of Kauswagan 20 minutes later.
The last explosion occurred at around 5 p.m. on the premises of the Mindanao State University Municipal High School in Sultan Naga Dimaporo.
Nobody was killed or injured in the three explosions.
The three towns are not included in areas which would take part in the plebiscite which covers Baloi, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagoloan, and Tangkal in Lanao del Norte and 39 barangays in Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan, and Pikit in North Cotabato.
“The perpetrators did not go through the checkpoints which means that they are not outsiders. So what we did is to intensify the security in polling places,” said Albayalde. (Aaron Recuenco)
