Investigators were able to identify the bomb used in last Friday’s bombing of a busy commercial establishment in Cagayan de Oro City as a rigged-up 81mm mortar round. The bomb explosion immediately killed 6 and injured 48 others.
SecurityMatters sources identified that the Improvised Explosive device was an 81mm Mortar. This was after Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) investigators were able to piece together the bomb using fragments they recovered in the blast site. Sources said that the bomb was detonated from a distance using a mobile phone attached to its blasting mechanism. Investigators also recovered fragments of a 9-volt battery. Also, investigators recovered a cellular phone which they turned over for digital forensic examination.
Investigators reenacted the crime scene last Sunday, July 28 to determine the direction of the blast and the position of the killed and wounded victims.
It was earlier reported that authorities had problems with investigations because the site was not cordoned off properly and that the site was released only after 12 hours. Business owners immediately cleaned the area afterwards, creating problems for investigators.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified three persons of interest from from witnesses’ accounts. The PNP released a computerized facial composite or sketch of the three.
Two More Dead
Meanwhile, two other victims eventually succumbed to their injuries after two days in intensive care. The two were Marciano Agustin III, a doctor from Cavite, and Reynaldo Dalupan, an executive of a pharmaceutical company based in Manila. This has brought the number of those killed in the blast to 8.
Most of the victims are doctors and medical representatives who attended a national medical convention held in the city. Also, one of the killed is Roldan Lagbas, a Provincial Board Member of Misamis Oriental. The victims were given medical and financial assistance by the local government of Cagayan de Oro.
