The public’s timely call for military assistance in South Upi, Maguindanao, prevented a bomb planted at the passenger terminal of the municipality from inflicting harm at dawn on Tuesday. Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, Army’s 6th Infantry division spokesman, said a Teduray native first took notice of a suspicious–looking package placed in a secluded portion of the terminal around 4:00 a.m. and called the attention of his companions. He said the natives, after taking a quick look at the package, immediately informed the terminal management, who, in turn, called for assistance. “It was just fortunate that the bomb was discovered containing an 81-mm projectile with a battery-operated timing device attached to a mobile phone,” Ando said. “Local authorities immediately contacted the Army’s bomb disposal unit whose members defused the bomb,” Ando added.According to witnesses, they earlier saw two men leaving the package at the terminal and both suddenly disappeared from sight. Ando said they suspect a local terror cell of the Jemaah Islamiyah as the ones behind the bombing attempt.