By NNN-PNA,
Manila : Malacanang called on the people Wednesday to remain vigilant against the threat of terrorism, and support government efforts to avert any attempt to sow terror especially during the yuletide season.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita made the exhortation at his regular weekly press conference in Malacanang Wednesday afternoon.
He urged the people to play their part by extending their full support and assistance to the government authorities in monitoring possible terror activities.
He pointed out that “terroristic activities would very well happen at the most unexpected time in the most unexpected ways.”
To prevent any possible terror attack from happening, Malacanang has alerted the Philippine National Police (PNP), particularly the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO), to step up routine inspection, intensify intelligence and street patrol.
In ZAMBOANGA CITY, an explosion rocked the southern Philippines Tuesday night injuring 22 people, most of whom were watching a free concert sponsored by a branch of a major food chain, a military official disclosed.
1Lt. Steffanie Cacho, information officer of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the incident took place around 9:05 p.m. in a plaza located in front of the provincial capitol building in Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province.
Cacho said the plaza was packed with people watching a free concert sponsored by the Basilan branch of Jollibee food chain when one of two men riding tandem in a motorcycle lobbed a fragmentation grenade into the crowd.
The suspects sped off amidst the commotion among the concert viewers while authorities were rushing the victims to the hospitals for treatment, according to Cacho.
“The motive of the incident is yet to be determined,” Cacho said.
The incident took place several hours after the police and military authorities foiled a bomb attack on a bus traveling from Pagadian City en route to Zamboanga City.
The bombing attempt was foiled when the explosive was discovered by policemen aboard the bus around 1:30 p.m. in Barangay Bulatoc, Pagadian City.
Military authorities also foiled bombing attempts last Friday and Sunday in Iligan City.
The explosion in Basilan was the second in a week’s time here in the area of jurisdiction of the military’s Westmincom.
The first was last Thursday wherein three people died while 50 others were wounded when two bombs exploded one after on two commercial establishments in downtown Iligan City.