Blasts rock three areas in South

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Hours after receiving bomb attack warnings, residents of Koronadal, South Cotabato were rocked by a grenade explosion in the compound of a radio station before dawn yesterday.

The explosion followed an explosion in front of the University of Mindanao in Davao City and another blast in Pagadian City.

A Vietnam-type grenade exploded at around 2:45 a.m. just four feet from the main door of the Bombo Radyo broadcast center in Barangay Sto. Niño, Koronadal.

Six people inside the radio station were unhurt, but the explosion damaged a glass window and a parked vehicle.

Station manager Fruto Sumagaysay said several witnesses saw two men on motorcycles about 30 meters from the broadcast center before the explosion.

Although no one saw the grenade being thrown, he said the circumstances indicated the two men were possible suspects.

The men, Sumagaysay said, were clad in fatigue jackets.

The police, however, believe the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could be behind the attack.

"This is part of their campaign to sow terror and further destabilize the peace and order situation in the area," said Superintendent Bonfillo Dacoco, provincial police chief.

The MILF denied the accusation.

Lawyer Ed Caballo, a member of the rebel group's technical committee, said that the MILF remains firm on its vow not to commit violence against civilians.

"I am very much positive that the incident could not have been initiated by our men. We have standing orders that counter offensives should only be done against military personnel and installations," he said.

Earlier, several establishments in South Cotabato received bomb threats, causing widespread panic.

South Cotabato Gov. Hilario de Pedro has called on all business owners, particularly those in media, to take caution against bomb attacks.

"The situation is getting worse and all must exert efforts to get proper security. Anything can happen," he said.

The Davao blast, meanwhile, was the first in the relatively peaceful, predominantly Christian city.

Initial reports said an unidentified person in a yellow motorcycle lobbed a grenade at the university before speeding off.

In other areas, two explosions ripped through Pagadian City the other night, wounding one person.

One bomb exploded at the back of the house of a Muslim cleric in the town of Ipil before dawn Thursday, injuring the cleric's son.

A second bomb went off at the nearly deserted Pagadian public square late Wednesday, but no one was injured.

Police Superintendent Paisal Umpa said the blasts might have been a "diversionary move" by Muslim separatist rebels who have been fighting government forces in Mindanao this week.

Military sources, on the other hand, said suspected Christian vigilantes retaliating for MILF's aggression could be behind the attack on the Muslim cleric.

Ipil Mayor Rey Andre Olegario said it was the third bombing incident in his town since Sunday. He said armed MILF fighters were seen in districts of the predominantly Christian town.

The town was razed by Abu Sayyaf extremists in April1995, leaving 53 people dead.-- With AFP wires