Rebels bomb power pylon in Southern Philippines

One of NGCP power pylons in southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

MARAWI CITY – Suspected rebels bombed a power pylon in Marawi City in the restive Muslim autonomous region and cutting off electricity in several areas in southern Philippines, officials reported Friday.

The latest attack was the third since rebels also blasted two other pylons in North Cotabato’s Pikit town on October 9 that left many areas without electricity. Although no individual or group claimed responsibility for the bombings, the military and police blamed extortion as the sole motive for the attacks.

The pylons are being operated by the privately-owned National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), but it was unknown why it failed to detect or stop the bombing which occurred in the village of Patani late on Thursday.

The NGCP has confirmed the attack on its tower that cut electricity in Mindanao, including as far as Zamboanga City.

“One of NGCP’s towers in Patani in Marawi City was bombed. Agus 1 and Agus 2 plants are isolated from the grid causing power loss in several areas in Mindanao,” the company said in a statement sent to The Manila Times.

Both Agus 1 and 2 are hydroelectric power plants situated in Marawi in Lanao del Sur, one of five provinces under the Muslim region.

The rebels used a mortar round in blasting the pylon, the same explosive that toppled the two power pylons in North Cotabato in previous attacks.

Captain Jo Ann Petinglay, a spokeswoman for the 6th Infantry Division, said each tower is manned by a caretaker who is employed by NGCP. “These caretakers are responsible for looking after the towers and reporting presence of threat in the area,” she said.

Petinglay said the bombers used 60mm mortars to topple down the steel pylons in Pikit and that another bomb was discovered nearby. The bombings caused a three-hour blackout in some areas of North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Maguindanao provinces, she said.

Just early this year, rebels also bombed and destroyed a power pylon in the town of Pagalungan in Maguindanao province. The powerful blast disabled NGCP Tower 26 near Galakit village and totally cut off electricity in many areas in the province and neighboring municipalities. The blast affected the 138KV transmission line servicing the area.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels and other groups are actively operating in Lanao del Sur and North Cotabato, including neighboring areas in Maguindanao and South Cotabato. (With a report from Moh Saaduddin) 

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