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Predawn explosions rock Mandaluyong, Quezon cities


Predawn explosions on Monday rocked the head office of a giant food conglomerate in Mandaluyong City, and a large supermarket in Quezon City. While no one was reported hurt in the explosions, police are looking into a possible connection between Monday's incident and similar explosions last October 30. Monday's incident occurred two days after police arrested a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander in Zamboanga City in connection with the beheading of Marines in 2007. A report by dzBB radio's Allan Gatus said the first explosion occurred at 3 a.m. at the corner of Julia Vargas and San Miguel Avenue in Mandaluyong City. It caused extensive damage to the signage of the head office of San Miguel Corp. Police quickly set up railings along the sidewalk near the site of the incident to keep pedestrians away. Eastern Police District head Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele ordered a full investigation into the incident. But a report by dzBB's Sam Nielsen quoted Mantele as saying the explosion was relatively weak and may have been from a pillbox, adding that a stronger improvised explosive device (IED) than what were used in the attacks would have caused greater damage. Mantele said they are also looking into a connection between Monday's explosion to the one near Union Bank along Meralco Avenue on October 30. He said their initial investigation of the Union Bank incident indicated that the explosion may have stemmed from a fraternity war. The second blast on Monday occurred at 4:50 a.m., in front of the Puregold Supermarket along Commonwealth Avenue. A security guard said a man threw a plastic bag containing the explosive then ran off, leaving his shoes behind as he hurried away. "Paghagis, tumayo agad at naiwan ang sapatos; nakamedyas nalang na tumakbo (A man threw a plastic bag and ran off, leaving his shoes behind)," security guard Darwin Taringding said. He said he approached the bag to investigate, but when he was six meters away, the bag exploded and smoke enveloped him. Also, no one was hurt in the Puregold incident. October 30 blasts On October 30, two predawn explosions rocked Quezon and Pasig Cities, on the day Metro Manila police were to go on full alert for the All Saints' weekend. The first blast occurred at 1:05 a.m. in front of the Burgundy Tower along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. It created a crater and damaged a parked Honda Civic belonging to Ateneo student Allan Valencia. A second explosion occurred shortly after the Quezon City incident, where another IED exploded across the Union Bank Plaza along Meralco Avenue in Pasig City. Sketchy initial reports showed one of four men was seen leaving a bag near the plants at Meralco Avenue. The man was described as wearing a jacket, his face covered. - GMANews.TV

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