By DPA
General Santos City (Philippines) : One person was killed and six were injured in a suspected bomb explosion in southern Philippines, the police said Thursday.
The lone fatality was believed to have been carrying the explosive device in the attack late Wednesday in General Santos City, 1,065 km south of Manila.
The blast occurred near the city hall where a street dance was being held as part of General Santos’ founding anniversary, the city police director said.
He said investigators recovered a “busted belt bag with a cellular phone” from the suspected bomber, whose affiliation was still being verified.
Investigators have also yet to determine the type of explosives used in the attack.
Last month, four people were killed and 30 wounded in a bomb attack on a tuna canning factory in General Santos City, an attack blamed on an extortionist gang.
General Santos has been hit by terrorist bombings in the past. The attacks were mostly blamed on such Al Qaeda-linked groups as the Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah.