4 wounded in Tacurong bar blast

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Four people were wounded when an improvised bomb went off in a videoke bar in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Saturday night, police said.

Director Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operation Western Mindanao, said the explosion struck the Starlight Videoke Bar along the national highway in Barangay Buenaflor, Tacurong City at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

Wounded were Glaiza Juan, 19; Noraya Laguia, 23; Sorayda Tabon Lagya, 28, all of T’boli, South Cotabato; and Elenita Molan Alesna, 34, of General Santos City.

Khu quoted witnesses as saying that they saw unidentified persons hurriedly leaving the videoke bar minutes before the blast occurred.

Ordnance experts were still determining the type of bomb used. “No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion and investigation has been ongoing to determine the group behind the attack,” Khu said.

Khu, however, cited intelligence information on a supposed plot by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Special Operation Group to launch bombing attacks in Tacurong City and other areas.

He said police and military forces in Central Mindanao have been alerted to preempt such attacks. – Roel Pareño, Edith Regalado, Alexis Romero, John Unson