Police and army dismantle IED hours before Basilan parliamentary voting begins

In an intelligence-led operation before the opening of polling stations for the historic Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, police and army personnel in Lamitan City recovered an improvised explosive device in Barangay Balobo at roughly 1:15 am on Monday. The Lamitan City Police Station, supported by other police units and the Army’s 112th Division Reconnaissance Company, called in the Provincial Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit, which carried out a controlled detonation of the bomb at about 3:30 am.

The device was composed of an electronic blasting cap, approximately one bar of TNT, a cellular-phone keypad, a nine-volt battery terminal, three-inch concrete nails, a plastic container and several wires. Investigators photographed the site and forwarded the recovered components to the police forensic laboratory for chemical testing. The incident comes as Basilan’s bishop Leo Dalmao and Governor Mujiv Hataman appealed for a peaceful, orderly and honest election, emphasizing the province’s recent progress toward stability.