Alleged Cotabato mall bombing brains slain

COTABATO CITY – A suspected member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), said to be the mastermind in the bombing of a mall in this city in 2018, was killed in an alleged shootout with police officers on Tuesday.

Abraham Abad Abdulrahman reportedly resisted arrest and fired at law enforcers serving a search warrant at his hideout in Barangay Bagua II at around 1:30 p.m.

Authorities said Abdulrahman, alias Abu Suffian, was a henchman of BIFF leader Esmael Abdulmalik.

A gun, a fragmentation grenade and bomb materials were reportedly recovered from the fatality.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas said Abdulrahman was trained in bomb-making by the late Mohammad Jaafar Maguyid of the Ansar al-Khilafah Philippines, which supports the Islamic State.