1 dead in Cotabato mall blast

COTABATO CITY – A man was killed and five others were injured after a bomb ripped through a shopping mall in Kidapawan City in Cotabato province yesterday.

Police identified the fatality as Boyet Alfazar, an employee of the KMCC Mall.

Wounded were Geralyn Luis, a high school student; Randy Sison and Francisco Casia, mall employees; and couple Roderick and Anniefer Cajindig, shoppers.

The improvised device was placed inside a black backpack and left at the package counter near the mall’s entrance, according to Kidapawan City police director Chief Inspector Leo Ajero.

SOCCSKSARGEN police commander Chief Superintendent Felizardo Serapio said investigators are collecting bomb fragments from the scene to determine the type of bomb used in the terrorist attack.

Police will make a thorough investigation to identify the people responsible for the bombing, he added.

Police are investigating whether the blast was linked to a scheduled visit of President Arroyo next week, Cotabato Vice Gov. Emmanuel Piñol said over a local radio station.

Ajero said police have started questioning the owners of the mall to determine if they have received any extortion demands prior to the bombing.

Army intelligence agents are helping determine if the bombers were members of Al-Khobar, a big extortion ring that has claimed responsibility for the recent spate of bombings of buses and commercial establishments in different parts of SOCCSKSARGEN Region, he added. — John Unson, Cecille Suerte Felipe