Mother of NorCot blast victim calls for justice, told bombers to yield

COTABATO CITY, Nov 18 (PNA) -- The family of a female student who died in last Sunday's deadly blast in Kabacan, North Cotabato has called on the perpetrators to surrender and be sorry for their sins.

Florence Mantawil, mother of 19-year-old Monique Mantawil of Barangay Pedtad, Kabacan, North Cotabato said her dreams for her daughter, a development communication student of a state university, were all gone in an instant.

"Allah's will," she said of her child's fate. "Allah will punish the perpetrators," she added.

She said the family has already accepted the fate of Moniqu, a student of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) who perished during the explosion on Sunday evening.

She along with her classmates and friends were walking along the national highway just near the overpass when the improvised explosive device was set off at about 7 p.m.

She went to the town center to have her paper works photocopied in a photo copier store when the blast occurred. She sustained shrapnel injuries in the head.

To the perpetrators of the bombing, Florence said in the vernacular: “You also have children, you will know how painful it was to lose a daughter.”

Monique was laid to her final resting place Monday in accordance with Islamic tradition.

Her classmates and friends mourn her untimely death, describing her as very friendly, idealistic and determined to finish studies.

Dr. Francisco Garcia, USM president, was emotionally hurt that 13 of the 17 blast victims were USM students.

He appealed for speedy and impartial investigation to give justice to Mantawil and other victims.

Garcia said the university will extend assistance to the students.

North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza and Kabacan Mayor Herlo Guzman offered a combined Php200,000 reward for the arrest of the suspects.

Authorities here blamed the extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). (PNA)
FPV/NYP/EOF