KIDAPAWAN CITY – Text messages warning residents of bomb attacks allegedly coming from the intelligence community circulated in Southwest Mindanao over the weekend, sending people into panic.
Security officials, however, were quick to pacify residents regarding the bomb threats.
“The text messages were all lies, not true, and sending people into panic," said Superintendent Chino Mamburam, Kidapawan City police chief.
According to the text messages, the targets of the bombing are the cities of Kidapawan, Tacurong, and Cotabato, and the towns of Midsayap and Kabacan, all in North Cotabato.
One message read: “Ipaalam sa mga mahal sa buhay para tulong-tulong na mag-ingat at huwag maglalagi sa marami’ng tao. Text mula sa intel community. (Please inform your loved ones to be careful. Do not stay in crowded places. This text is from the intelligence community)."
Another message said: “Ngayong araw o mamayang gabi, idi-deliver ang mga bomba para Kidapawan, Tacurong, Kabacan, Cotabato City, at Midsayap (Either today or tonight, bombs would be delivered to Kidapawan, Tacurong, Kabacan, Cotabato City, and Midsayap)."
The text messages started circulating Saturday.
Kidapawan Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco neither confirmed nor denied if the warnings had basis. “Bantay-bantay lang (Just be careful)," he said.
Cotabato Governor Lala Talino-Mendoza, meanwhile, urged the police and the military to verify the warnings.
“While doing that, they must intensify their efforts on visibility by establishing checkpoints, and encourage civilian vigilance," she said.
Lt. Col. Domingo Gubuay, commander of the Army’s 7th Infantry Battalion based in Pikit, North Cotabato, linked the bomb threats to the unstable peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“These reported bombings are just preparatory in case talks fail," he said.
Superintendent Alex Tagum, chief of the North Cotabato Provincial Public Safety Company, said such threats “have been a reality in our area."
“No amount of warnings from intelligence community or assurance from my end can change that fact," he said.
He added that the public must always be aware of their surroundings, to stay alert and report to authorities any suspicious activity in their area.
“Crime prevention is everybody’s concern," Tagum said.
Superintendent Joseph Semillano, chief of Kabacan police, said security officials should take the warnings seriously.
“The warnings were sent to alert the public and make them vigilant. There’s positive and negative side in circulating the text message but the main purpose was to make the public aware. It’s better than doing nothing," he said.
Since October this year, two bombs had already exploded in North Cotabato — one in Matalam town that killed 11 people and injured 20 others, and another in Carmen town where a student was killed while three other civilians were injured. - KBK