Cotabato honors blast victims

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Schools in this city have been ordered to raise the Philippine flag at half-mast for five days in sympathy with the victims of a recent bombing here.

Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said the move was meant to honor Jonathan Tasic Torribiano and Mariam Ulama Cali, who died during the blast that occurred on Dec. 31, and the 37 others who were wounded in the incident.

Torribiano and Cali succumbed to injuries they suffered in the explosion that occurred near the main gate of the Southseas Mall on Don Rufino Alonzo street.

Another improvised explosive device (IED) was found an hour later near a lotto outlet on the second floor of the same establishment.

Bomb disposal experts deactivated the IED.

Task Force Southseas on Friday showed journalists photos of two men who were believed to have sneaked the IED in the mall.

The task force was formed to investigate the incident.

The photos were grabbed from footages taken by security cameras installed in the Southseas Mall.

Superintendent Rolly Octavio of the Cotabato City police said the office of the mayor offered a P500,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the bombers.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao pledged to contribute an amount to the bounty offered by the city government.

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division is helping track the suspects.