Mayor, aide hurt in Sultan Kudarat blast

SULTAN KUDARAT, philippines --- The town mayor of Lebak town who survived a bomb attack past 11 a.m. Monday was the target of the attack, police said.

Investigators said the improvised explosive device used in the bombing was placed inside a utility box underneath the seat of a motorcycle parked beside the Toyota pick-up truck of Mayor Dionisio Besana, in a parking area a few meters away from the mayor’s office.

The IED was set off from a distance using a mobile phone while Besana and his security escorts were to ride the pick-up truck on their way to an engagement in a barangay away from the town hall.

Besana and one of his security men, PO2 Van Anthony Vecilles, were wounded in the blast. Responding policemen and employees of the Lebak municipal government rushed them both to a hospital for medication.

Intelligence operatives of the First Marine Brigade based in Lebak are now helping the local police investigate on the incident.

Police investigators said employees of the Lebak local government unit saw a tall man, wearing black trousers and a dark colored shirt drove the bomb-laden motorcycle through the LGU compound and hurriedly left after parking the bike near the mayor’s service vehicle.