July 13, 2010 – A powerful blast reportedly from an improvised explosive device (IED) rocked the town plaza of Datu Piang, Maguindanao, killing and wounding scores of civilians at about 8:30pm last night.

Field reports said the explosion had killed on the spot certain Mokong Yap Moreno, and wounded Nasser Kimpao and Samuel Lamalanas. These innocent victims were minors or children.
Civilians from the area expressed alarm and anxiety over the recent spate of atrocities that killed children and innocent people, said the report in SMS.

Last Thursday at passed 2pm, the mortar shelling reportedly fired by the Philippine Army troops from their position at Barangay Reina Regente, Datu Piang fell into makeshifts of internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Barangay Makasendeg in Pikit, Cotabato. This killed three children and wounded four other civilians.

No information yet on the identification of the perpetrators of the blast last night but immediate and impartial probe on the incident is being sought.

The proximate truth on who are the perpetrators must be ascertained in order to avoid baseless and malicious finger-pointing that will not serve justice to the victims.
MILF troops in the area also expressed even as they see the explosion as pretext and part of scenario-building to justify government military operations.

One commander, not to be identified as he requested, opined that the explosion could have been intended to cover up the incident of army mortar shelling that killed and injured civilians last Thursday.

He also said this indicates that there are some military top brass inclined to wage intensified military operations against the rebel groups, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is in contrast to the other position to support the government policy on the primacy of the peace process.

Few days ago, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) declared that it will crush the rebel groups within the next three years to end the insurgency in the Philippines.