Mobile Alerts  Newsletter  Archives  About Us  Advertise with Us Twitter GMANews.TV Facebook GMANews.TV RSS GMANews.TV
Regional

AFP: 3 dead, 30 hurt in Tacurong explosion

Three people were confirmed killed while about 30 others were injured after an explosion ripped a billiard hall at the back of the Tacurong City Public Market in Sultan Kudarat.

Lieutenant Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said the blast happened at the corner of Bonifacio and Abad Santos Streets. He corrected earlier reports which said five people died in the incident.

Figures quoted by the Tacurong police, however, showed as many as 35 people were wounded. Superintendent Joel Limson, chief of the Tacurong City police, said five fatalities were initially reported.

Radio station dzBB said an improvised explosive device wrapped in plastic went off at about 4:50 p.m. Authorities are currently investigating the incident.

On April 29, soldiers tightened security in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat after foiling what could have been a bomb attack on a police post there.

News reports said that the bomb was left near a police outpost in Tacurong City, but was discovered before it was to explode.

The discovery of the bomb came a day after the United States warned its citizens against traveling to Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago because of heightened terror activities.

In December last year, four people were injured after an explosion hit a commercial establishment also in Tacurong City.

Chief Superintendent German Doria, head of the Region 12 police, said the incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. at the Kimsan Plaza along Bonifacio Street.

"The explosion happened inside the mall itself near the baggage counter. The good news here is that there were no casualties ... but I still don't know how severely [they were injured]," Doria said in Filipino. - GMANews.TV
Other Regions stories
10 Ampatuans implicated in massacre are candidates
02/10/2010 | 12:20 AM
DAVAO CITY – Only two of the 12 prominent Ampatuans implicated in the November 23, 2009 massacre in Maguindanao are not running for any posts in this year’s elections: Datu Unsay mayor Datu Andal... More
New Education chief in ARMM introduces reforms
02/09/2010 | 11:54 PM
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Education Department in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has kicked off a series of campaign against unauthorized deductions or contributions from the paychecks of... More
‘Slain’ JI leader Dulmatin still alive - Marine chief
02/09/2010 | 04:13 PM
Dulmatin, a senior leader of the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah who the military claimed to have killed two years ago, is still alive based on "latest reports," a ranking military official said... More
4 hurt in shooting spree in Agusan Norte - police
02/09/2010 | 11:07 AM
An alleged government militiaman reportedly shot four miners in a gold-rush area in Barangay Poblacion 2 in Santiago town in Agusan del Norte last Sunday afternoon, a police report said. More
3 medical students killed in Nueva Ecija fire
02/09/2010 | 07:52 AM
Three female medical students were killed in a predawn fire that razed a town health center in Nueva Ecija province on Tuesday, a radio report said. More
Kidnapped Yemeni national freed in Marawi City
02/08/2010 | 10:20 PM
A Yemeni missionary who was seized by armed men in the southern Philippine city of Marawi last month had been released by his abductors, a military official said on Monday. More
Councilor bet killed in Cotabato City shooting
02/08/2010 | 04:43 PM
A candidate for councilor in Cotabato City was killed in a botched kidnapping attempt, police said Monday. More
CHR's De Lima to visit detained health workers
02/08/2010 | 09:46 AM
The head of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) will personally look into Saturday's arrest in Morong, Rizal of 43 health workers accused of being communist rebels. More
8 suspected robbers killed in Quezon shootout
02/08/2010 | 09:24 AM
(Updated 1:17 PM) Eight suspected robbers were killed after engaging police in a shootout in Quezon province before dawn on Monday. More
Another militiaman shot dead by NPA rebs in Bicol
02/07/2010 | 05:08 PM
Communist rebels on Sunday shot dead an off-duty militiaman inside his home in Sorsogon province, the second one killed in the Bicol region this month, a military spokesman said. More
ADVERTISEMENT
Central bank OK's $655-M loans for fiscal boost
2010-02-08 10:05:14
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has approved $655 million worth of official development...
(Updated) — Erap snubs Inquirer presidential debate
2010-02-08 11:16:28
Joseph Estrada snubbed the Philippine Daily Inquirer's presidential debate inside the...
17 troops dead, 53 saved in Kashmir avalanche
2010-02-08 18:08:19
(Updated 10:30 p.m.) SRINAGAR, India – A massive avalanche plowed into an Indian army...
Kidnapped Yemeni national freed in Marawi City
2010-02-08 22:20:06
A Yemeni missionary who was seized by armed men in the southern Philippine city of Marawi last...