The suspected mastermind of the bombing incident in a shopping mall in Cotabato City in 2018 was killed in an encounter with government forces.
The casualty was identified as Abraham Abad Abdulrahman alias “Abu Saffian” who was shot in Barangay Bagua 2, Cotabato City on December 1.
The encounter took place when police personnel were executing a search warrant to Jasmiyah Ibrahim who is believed to be Abu Saffian’s wife. The couple’s defiance of the search warrant resulted in a brawl.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Abu Saffian was a member of Dawlah Islamiya and had undergone training on the production of improvised explosive device.
He was allegedly involved in the Butig and Marawi City Siege with the Maute Group and is suspected to be behind the South Sea Mall bombing in Cotabato on December 31, 2018 that killed two persons and injured 30 individuals. – Report from Bea Bernardo
