Six killed in two bombings in southern Philippines (Roundup)

Jul 7, 2009, 7:56 GMT

   Manila - Six people were killed and more than 50 injured Tuesday in two bombings in the southern Philippines, police and military officials said.

   A homemade bomb exploded near the Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Jolo town on Jolo Island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, killing six people and injuring 40 others, Police Superintendent Jose Bayani Gucela said.

   'The explosion occurred right after the Mass,' he said Gucela. 'The bomb was placed inside a motorcycle which was parked about 100 metres from the church.'

   It was the second bombing near a church in three days in the strife-torn southern region of Mindanao. On Sunday, a bomb exploded outside a church in Cotabato City, also killing six people.

   Gucela said bomb experts recovered two more unexploded bombs in the vicinity of Mount Carmel Church.

   Two hours later, a second blast occurred in Iligan City, 810 kilometres south of Manila, wounding 13 people, army Lieutenant Colonel Arnulfo Burgos said.

   Burgos said no one had died in the Iligan City bombing, contrary to an initial report that said one person was killed. But he noted that several of the injured victims were in critical condition.

   He said among those hurt were three soldiers, including an army captain, who were riding a patrol jeep as the bomb exploded along a busy street leading to the Iligan City port.

   'Initial investigation disclosed that the bomb was made from an 81-millimitre mortar ammunition similar to the one used in Cotabato bombing on Sunday,' he said.

   Police and military investigators were looking into the possible involvement of Jemaah Islamiyah operatives in the bombing, defence sources said.

   Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor, spokesman for the government's anti-terrorism council, advised the public to remain calm but vigilant amid the series of bomb attacks.

   'Let's not feed the frenzy,' he told a local television station. 'If we allow ourselves to be lured into this chaos, into fear, it's the whole country that's affected.'