Another Sulu bridge bombed

MANILA, Philippines - Suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits bombed another bridge in Sulu late Thursday night, the third incident reported by the military there since the start of the month.

Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, said half of the Tangan-Tangan Bridge in Barangay Taung, Patikul town was damaged due to the blast, although it is still passable to all types of vehicles.

Combat units of the Western Mindanao Command have been deployed to pursue the bombers, he said.

No one was reported hurt or killed in the incident.

Last Oct. 9, Abu Sayyaf bandits blew up a bridge in Parang town, barely four days after they planted an improvised explosive in a nearby road that killed two American servicemen and a Filipino Marine and wounded two other Marines.

The AFP is looking into the possibility of realigning elite troops to Sulu to sustain the momentum in the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf. – James Mananghaya, Roel Pareño