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Friday, July 11, 2003
3 killed, 29 hurt in Koronadal market blast
By Aurea Gerundio and Gwen Posadas
DAVAO -- Three people were killed while 29 others were injured in a bomb blast that ripped through the crowded area of the Marbel Public Market in Koronadal City Thursday afternoon, police said.
Following the latest attack on Mindanao, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte placed the city on heightened alert starting Thursday. Police and military checkpoints were set up on all roads leading to the city.
Minutes after receiving the news, Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said President Arroyo "strongly condemns this terrorist act."
"We will try to go after the perpetrators of this incident. We will make sure they are brought to justice," Bunye said.
Taking orders from Arroyo, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte left for Koronadal City Thursday afternoon.
But before leaving, Duterte appealed to Davao City residents to remain vigilant.
"We have to face terrorism eyeball to eyeball. We are at level best to see to it that everybody is protected," he said.
The bomb, an improvised explosive device (IED), exploded around 2:45 p.m. at the used clothing section of the market, some 50 meters away from the Koronadal police station, military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Lucero said.
Powerful blast
The explosion occurred two days after the military confirmed that Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffi Janjanlani and 70 of his men landed in the nearby coastal town of Palimbang in Sultan Kudarat province.
But Brig. Gen. Alexander Yano, chief of the Army's 601st Brigade based in Palimbang, said the police and military have began maneuvers to contain Janjalani and his men in the town.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion was so powerful that they even saw a woman's leg blown off and bodies strewn on the ground.
One of those killed was an 11-year-old girl selling plastic bags.
The military had earlier said six were killed in the attack, but revised the figure later after collating reports from hospitals.
Many of those injured were children, he said. "This is a sad day," Lucero added.
Local officials said the number of wounded victims could be even higher as many of the injured were rushed to hospitals before any head count could be made.
Gov. Daisy Fuentes said the market was busy and vulnerable to such attacks. It was crammed with residents who traditionally do their weekly shopping on Thursday, she added.
Cartographic sketch
Chief Supt. Manuel Raval, Police Regional Office 12 director, said they already have a cartographic sketch of the suspect. He said there were a number of witnesses who saw the suspect plant the bomb.
He said the bomb was "made of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)" and is similar to the one that exploded in the same public market five months ago.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, which occurred in a region where Moro separatist guerrillas operate.
Regional army chief Major General Generoso Senga, however, claimed the explosive device was similar to those used in previous attacks blamed on the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been waging a 25-year insurgency in Mindanao.
A hunt for the bombers was underway, said Koronadal Mayor Fernando Miguel.
He confirmed Raval's statement that authorities already have a suspect but declined to name the person pending further investigation.
"I am not yet officially releasing a statement, regarding the suspect and who they may be. I have to make reservations. I don't want to divulge it at this time," Miguel told local radio.
The attack came on the eve of a weeklong celebration to mark the 37th founding anniversary of South Cotabato province, which includes Koronadal city.
Unacceptable
Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the MILF, denied that the separatist guerrilla group was behind the latest blast.
"We highly condemn this act. This is entirely unacceptable to the MILF," Kabalu said by telephone from his base in Mindanao.
"We have no reason to do something like this," he said, citing the current effort to restart the stalled peace process with the government.
The MILF had also denied allegations it was responsible for the May blasts.
Arroyo's spokesman Bunye said the MILF might come under suspicion but he added the peace process would continue.
"We have gone this far already and we believe we have made significant headway," Bunye said.
"We should keep the doors open for those who genuinely desire peace."
Heightened alert
Because of the incident in Koronadal, Task Force Davao chief Col. Gaudencio Pangilinan said Davao City was placed on heightened alert.
"Mas lalo naming pinatindi ang seguridad," he told Sun.Star. (We further heightened security.)
Davao City Police Office chief Conrado Laza also said he immediately instructed his men to secure all entry and exit points of the city.
"Authorities have already heightened the alert. We will be deploying policemen on different risky areas," Laza said.
Duterte wanted to implement a color-coding scheme on street signs describing the present condition of the city.
The color red implies that the city is on alert status, orange implies imminent danger, yellow advises the people to be careful, and green tells them when it is already safe.
Duterte said he would announce on his television show, Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, on Sunday the peace and order status of the city. With reports from Ana Felicia Dulay/Peng Aliņo/AFP
(July 11, 2003 issue)
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