SIXTEEN persons were wounded after a grenade exploded near the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral in Cotabato City on Sunday, December 22.

Western Mindanao Command Spokesperson Arvin John Encinas confirmed that the incident occurred around 6 p.m. The city was then placed on a lockdown.

In a phone interview with SunStar Davao, 6th Infantry Division Spokesperson Homer Estolas said around six to seven soldiers were wounded after an unidentified riding-in-tandem threw a grenade.

The soldiers were rushed to the hospital, but Estolas said they were not seriously wounded.

SunStar is still trying to get information on the identity of the other victims.

Estolas said they have yet to identify the perpetrators, but he said there are those who want to disrupt their military operations to carry out illegal activities.

The official also revealed that the explosive ordnance disposal team found a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) in the area.

The team used a disruptor to examine the suspected IED which explains the series of explosion heard by the people nearby.

On December 28, 2018, at least two people died while 34 others were injured after an improvised explosive device exploded outside the South Seas Mall in Magallanes St., Cotabato City.

This is a developing story.