A ROADSIDE bomb reportedly planted by Abu Sayyaf terrorists went off Thursday, wounding seven Marines, two days after more troops were sent to Sulu to deal with a possible backlash against the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law in Congress.
The wounded soldiers were taken to hospital in Talipao town.
Marine Brig Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the Joint Task Group Sulu, said a Marine convoy from the Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-10) was traversing an area under the Abu Sayyaf influence in Barangay Kuhao, Talipao, Sulu, when their vehicle hit the improvised bomb.
Seven Marines suffered minor wounds, Arrojado said.
On Tues,day, military officials deployed another Marine battalion from the MBLT-1 to Sulu, not only trained against the ASG, but was part of the government’s preparation for increased attacks after the collapse of the BBL.
The explosion in Sulu came a day after suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, frustrated over the BBL’s collapsed, detonated a bomb in Tacurong City, wounding three civilians.
The MILF elements were reportedly under the command of Abdullah Macapaar, alias Commander Bravo, who was responsible for a series of attacks in Central Mindanao after the Supreme Court rejected the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain signed between the government and the MILF in 2008.
Military units in Sulu and Central Mindanao are on high alert for potential attacks from infuriated rank and file of the MILF who were monitored massing up after the non-passage of the BBL.
An official from the rival Moro National Liberation Front expressed optimism, however, that the government had the upper hand against disgruntled MILF fighters.
“Undoubtedly, government forces can quell the MILF forces in case hostilities break out,” said MNLF spokesman Absalom Cerveza on Tuesday.
Cerveza said that it’s very hard to anticipate what will happen in the next few days, but said the MILF could see some defections going to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a splinter group.