‘Bomb maker’ slain in IED blast

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — An alleged terrorist was killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) he was assembling went off in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao del Sur on Saturday.

The military identified the fatality as Tantrex Amerudin Eskak, known in the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as Tantung Kamad.

Former BIFF men who surrendered to authorities confirmed the identity of the suspect to the Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion.

Eskak was reportedly trained in fabricating and handling IEDs by the slain Malaysian terrorist Marwan.

The suspect was reportedly planning to bomb a police detachment in Datu Unsay.