8 hurt in Sultan Kudarat market blast

SULTAN KUDARAT, Philippines — Eight persons were wounded in an explosion that ripped through a market in Isulan town in this province yesterday morning.

The victims, identified as Jarren Amigo, Jomar Aquino, Tenecio Cagadas Jr., Jay Carnaso, Gerald Cartagena, Richard Deyoy, Nasim Gulano and Ñino Virgo, were rushed to a nearby hospital by responding personnel of the Isulan police.

The blast occurred at around 7 a.m. in front of the market, where vendors parked their motorcycles, located in Barangay Kalawag 2.

The local police is looking into a possibility that a terror group involved in extortion was behind the blast.

Bomb experts from the police and military have yet to determine the cause of the explosion.

They said there were indications that the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) that was detonated from a distance.

Maj. Gen. Diosdado Carreon of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division said intelligence agents from the 601st Infantry Brigade are helping the police investigate the incident.

Probers said the IED could have been placed inside the utility box of a motorcycle that was parked near the market.

Military authorities said there were indications that the IED was identical to the home-made bombs manufactured by the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The explosion occurred eight hours before the symbolic decommissioning of hundreds of Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde ordered security and intelligence operations stepped up to prevent a repeat of the incident.

Albayalde directed the police to coordinate with the military and local government units. – With Romina Cabrera