MANILA, Philippines – In the wake of the latest explosion in Zamboanga City last Thursday, the United States Embassy in Manila has issued a Warden Message urging all Americans living and traveling in the country to register with the State Department’s travel registration website (http://travelregis tration.state.gov.).
The embassy also urged its citizens in the country to regularly monitor latest security information through the State Department’s website http://travel.state.gov.
The Warden Message noted that registration of Americans living and traveling in the Philippines with the US Embassy would enable them to get updated information on travel and security in the Philippines.
It stated that the State Department’s Internet website is where the current Worldwide Caution, the Philippines specific information, travel warnings, and other travel alerts can be found.
The embassy noted that the blast injured several local employees of a USAID grantee, but no direct-hire mission employees were hurt.
Two people died, while 17 others were injured in the incident.
Col. Darwin Guerra, commander of the military’s Task Force Zamboanga, was quoted as saying that the blast occurred only “a few meters away from the Gate 1 of Edwin Andrews Air Base” and that the victims were chance passengers waiting for the arrival of a C-130 aircraft.
Guerra described the explosion as “an act of terrorism.”
The government said yesterday that it would look into the possible involvement of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the explosion last May 29.
Jesus Dureza, outgoing presidential adviser on the peace process, claimed there were initial “disturbing reports” that some commanders of the secessionist group were involved in the incident.
Meanwhile, US Armed Forces’ chief of staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen arrived unannounced yesterday in Zamboanga City to visit American troops.
Mullen, the most senior US military official, was accompanied by US ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney and Armed Forces chief of staff Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano. – Katherine Adraneda, Roel Pareño