ZAMBOANGA CITY – At least 12 persons were reported wounded when an improvised bomb exploded underneath a concrete bench in Plaza Pershing in Zamboanga City last night. The victims suffered shrapnel wounds in their bodies.
Police said the bomb exploded around 7:45 p.m. The impact threw promenaders at the plaza off balance and sent others in panic.
The powerful blast also shattered the glass windowpanes of a department store across the road.
City Mayor Celso Lobregat urged the people to stay vigilant. Lobregat did not discount the possibility of terrorism in the bombing.
A US navy bomb expert is helping the police sift through the bomb site to determine the type of bomb used. They are still investigating the incident.
Plaza Pershing is adjacent to several department stores. – Roel Pareño