'Toy' mortar kills 3 kids, injures 5

MANILA, Philippines - Three children were killed, while five other minors aged seven to 10 were wounded after a mortar round they were playing with accidentally exploded in Buldon, Maguindanao Tuesday afternoon, military reports said.

Maj. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Eastern Mindanao Command, identified the fatalities as Macsal Minan Ebrahim, 11, and Yasser Usman and Nilingan Tolentino, both eight.

Cabangbang said the victims were toying with the 81-mm mortar at the house of a certain Abdisalan Ebrahim, said to be a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, in Barangay Mataya when it went off. – James Mananghaya, John Unson