3 killed, 47 hurt in Iligan blasts

ILIGAN CITY – Three people were killed and 47 others were wounded when two cellphone-activated mortars exploded one after the other in two department stores 30 meters apart on the same street in Iligan City yesterday.

In Manila, Malacañang said President Arroyo would push through with her scheduled visit to Iligan City today for the inauguration of the suka pinakurat vinegar processing plant of Green Gold Gourmet Food Products in Barangay Pugaan.

Mrs. Arroyo condemned the terrorist attacks as “ruthless, violent acts of terrorism against our communities.”

Last week, Mrs. Arroyo canceled her visit to Shariff Kabunsuan after an explosion and the recovery of improvised explosive devices in the province.

The wounded – among them children – were rushed to the government-run Don Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital, Mindanao Sanitarium and Hospital, and Dr. Uy’s Hospital.

A baggage counter clerk, identified as Junly Gomonod, 18, was critically wounded in the attack on Jerry’s Bargain Center.

She was unconscious when admitted at Dr. Uy’s Hospital in Iligan City.

Military and police investigators identified one of the fatalities as Erwin Suico, an employee of one of the department stores.

The two killed were store employees assigned at the baggage counter, while the wounded were shoppers and people on the street, police said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the two attacks, but police suspect that rogue bands of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front have made true their threat to bomb the city.

Col. Nicanor Dolongan, 403^rd Army Brigade commander, said shortly before the first explosion, a close circuit television at the UniCity caught two people wearing a Muslim scarf depositing a baggage at a counter outside the department store.

“Our suspects here are members of the lawless MILF group because of the type of (improvised explosive device) that were used,” he said.

Police investigation showed the two mortars wrapped as Christmas gifts were left at the baggage counters of the two department stores.

The two mortars exploded at about 1:35 and 1:40 p.m. after being triggered from a safe place by remote control with the use of a cell phone, according to investigators.

Iligan City police director Senior Superintendent Virgilio Ranes told The STAR the terrorists were able to slip in the mortars without being detected because the baggage counters were located outside the department stores.

Policemen were standing guard at the entrances of the two department stores, where they frisked shoppers and monitored pickpockets and shoplifters, he added.

The first mortar blew up at the UniCity, followed five minutes later by a second explosion at the Jerry’s Bargain Center.

Both department stores are located on Aguinaldo Street in Iligan City’s commercial district.

After the two explosions, pandemonium broke out on Aguinaldo street as shoppers and pedestrians scampered for safety.

Police immediately evacuated shoppers and workers from neighboring department stores amid the screams of sirens of emergency rescue vehicles rushing to the scene.

Banks in the commercial center also closed shop, along with the big shopping centers like the newly opened Gaisano Mall Atrium.

Lt. Col. Adane Adriatico, Army 1st Infantry Division spokesman, said authorities could not yet identify the type of bombs used in the two attacks.

However, military investigators believe improvised explosive devices were used, according to Lt. Steffani Cacho, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command spokeswoman.

The attacks were the second and third to occur in Iligan City in four months after a bomb exploded last Aug. 18, she added.

Fashioned out of empty mortar shells and rigged with high explosives, the improvised explosive device is the signature of the MILF, according to Dolongan.

Col. Benito de Leon, Army 104th Infantry Brigade commander, has sent bomb-sniffing dogs and explosives experts to help Iligan City police in the investigations.

“We have sent K9 units and bomb experts in the area to help in the investigations,” he said.

Col. Nicanor Dolojan, Army 403rd Brigade commander, said the attacks might have been perpetrated by rogue MILF bands.

“Our suspect here are the lawless MILF group because of the type of the (improvised explosive device) that were used,” he said.

“That IED manifest their signature, using mortar rounds. That is our initial findings,”

Last month, at least three people were wounded when two budget hotels in Iligan City were bombed. - With Jaime Laude, Marvin Sy