By Xinhua,
Manila : Twin blasts, caused by improvised explosive devices, rocked two malls in a southern Philippine city Thursday afternoon, killing two and wounding more than two dozens, local authorities said.
Col. Nicanor Dolojan, commander of the Army’s 403rd Brigade, said the first explosion occurred at the Unicity Mall on Aguinaldo street at about 1:40 p.m. Shortly after, another bomb exploded at the adjacent Jerry’s bargain center in Iligan city of Lanao del Norte province.
Meanwhile, Gwendolyn T. Pang, assistant secretary of the Philippine National Red Cross, put the number of injury at 44, including about two dozens with mild wounds who had left hospital after basic treatment.
“We still don’t know the conditions of the others who remain in the hospitals. The Red Cross is sending bloods and other rescue necessities to the four hospitals where patients are being treated,” she told Xinhua.
Dolojan said initial investigation shows that two men, both wearing scarf, deposited items at the two street malls’ baggage counters before the blasts. One store’s close-circuit TV was able to record the two suspects.
No group has claimed responsibility of the blasts, occurred at the height of the Christmas season. Military officials said the motive might to “sow terror” in the public.
“Our suspects here are the lawless MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) group because of the type of the improvised explosive devices (IED) that were used. That IED manifest their signature, using mortar rounds,” Dolojan told Xinhua in a phone interview.
Muslim rebels have been fighting government troops for four decades in order to establish a separate state in resources-rich and Muslim-dominating Mindanao. Peace talks between the two sides have been halted amid lack of trust and escalation of clashes in August this year.
Iligan is part of the conflict-torn Mindanao region where Muslim insurgents have clashed with the government forces at the height of this August’s exchanges of fire.