Bomb rocks Tawi-Tawi seaport

A bomb explosion rocked the Bongao port in Tawi-Tawi over the weekend, damaging a boat but not causing injury to persons, a belated report about it reached the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) headquarters in Manila yesterday.

The Coast Guard detachment in Bongao reported that at about 8 a.m. Saturday a homemade bomb exploded on board the motor boat ML Lady Adzra while it was docked at Bongao port.

The explosion caused a one-meter hole in the bow of the boat, which is owned and operated by one Hadja Rosan Arop. No one was injured in the explosion.

PCG commandant Vice Admiral Reuben Lista downplayed the Bongao explosion as the handiwork of some traders intended for business rivals plying the Zamboanga-Bongao route.

Last Wednesday, Zamboanga was rocked by a bloody bomb attack which killed two Filipinos and an American Green Beret commando and wounded 24 others, including another American soldier.

Police and Coast Guard personnel are now conducting an investigation on the Tawi-Tawi bombing incident. — Nestor Etolle