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Monday, December 13, 2004
11 die, scores hurt in GenSan market blast
By Edwin G. Espejo
* Davao City on red alert following Gensan attack
* Homemade bomb explodes in market's meat section at 4 p.m. Sunday
* Mayor Acharon, Senator Pimentel condemn bombing
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- At least 11 people including a child were killed when a powerful homemade bomb exploded at the meat section of the public market here Sunday afternoon.
Scores of others were wounded, some of them seriously, when the bomb went off around 4 p.m.
Shortly after the attack, authorities placed Davao City on red alert, intensifying police and military visibility in various entry points to the city and crowded places, such public markets, malls and schools.
Security has also been tightened at Davao International Airport and Davao City ports.
"We are intensifying our visibility operations and we will meet with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte tonight to discuss matters. Since it's terrorism-related we could not yet say who is responsible for the bombing," Task Force Davao chief Col. Eduardo del Rosario said.
Only two of the fatalities in the attack were immediately identified by witnesses.
They are Erning Plasabas and Elmer Causing, both meat vendors.
They were killed on the spot, along with a still unidentified woman whose body was badly burned as a result of the explosion.
Three still unidentified victims were declared dead on arrival at the St. Elizabeth Hospital.
The three others died while being treated at the General Santos Doctors' Hospital.
City Police Director Willie Dangane said no one has claimed responsibility over the bombing as yet.
He said he could not name any suspect yet and that it could also be the handiwork of criminal elements who are now on the run following a massive drive against all illegal activities in the city.
Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr., who was in Cebu Sunday, immediately condemned the bombing.
Also quick to denounce the dastardly act was Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
"I denounce the bombing of Gensan public market as the work of beasts who want death and destruction to devastate Mindanao," he said in a text message to Sun.Star publisher Antonio M. Ajero.
The Mindanao lawmaker also urged the government to push the Mindanao peace plan.
Acharon was supposed to go to Manila Monday but said he is cutting short his trip and take the first flight to General Santos.
Acharon said he was told by Assistant City Administrator Glenn Gonzales that the area was placed on heightened alert after they received information from anonymous persons that the public market will be burned.
He however declined to conclude it was the handiwork of extremists.
"Actually, daghan ta og tan-awonon (There are many angles to look into)," he said.
Sunday's explosion was the first since April 21, 2002 when a powerful bomb exploded just outside Fitmart Department Store killing 15 people and maiming 55 others.
In June 2000, a series of explosions hit the city, which wounded scores of victims.
Earlier in May of the same year, two bombs exploded just outside city hall killing a tricycle driver.
(December 13, 2004 issue)
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