Blast kills 1, injures 16 in northern RP; bomb defused in south (12:59 p.m.)
MANILA — A hand grenade exploded inside a billiard hall in the northern Philippines, killing one man and
injuring 16 other people, while a bomb found in the volatile south was safely defused, police said Monday.
Baguio police spokesman Virgilio Hidalgo said investigators believe the blast late Sunday was linked to a gambling argument.
“Definitely, this is not related to terrorism,” Hidalgo said.
In Midsayap township, in southern North Cotabato province, a man found an improvised bomb inside a plastic container filled with gasoline at a street corner near a gas station.
Midsayap police chief Chino Mamburam said police were looking into possible involvement of extortionists or Muslim rebels.
The man sold the gasoline, then found a rocket-propelled grenade attached to a cell phone and timer at the bottom.
Mamburam said police were puzzled why the bomb was immersed in gasoline, which could spoil the device.
“It is clearly meant to scare people,” he added.
Mamburam said police were on alert in the township because of unexplained movements by Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas.
Several groups of rebels - in total numbering around 300 - have been sighted recently going around the township, he added.
Peace talks aimed at granting minority Muslims autonomy after decades of a bloody insurrection faltered in December when the rebels walked away to protest the government’s insistence that any
accord conform with the Constitution.
Rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal has said tension is rising fast because of the stalled talks, and some guerrilla field commanders were getting impatient. (AP/Sunnex)
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