Twin blasts hit Lamitan City vice mayor's residence, chapel

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Two bomb explosions struck the residence of a vice mayor and a chapel in Lamitan City, Basilan on Thursday night.

The first blast occurred at about 9:04 p.m. in front of the house of Lamitan Vice Mayor Arleigh Eisma along Aguinaldo Street in Barangay Maganda.

The second blast happened six minutes later at the main gate of the San Isidro Chapel in Barangay Colonia.

Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, spokesman of Armed Forces' Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said no one was hurt in the explosions.

Lamitan City police commander Chief Inspector Almer Ismael said the first bomb damaged the red pick-up truck owned by Eisma while the second explosion partially damaged the gate of the chapel.

Ismael said residents near the sites of the explosions did not see the persons who planted the bombs because the city was experiencing a power blackout.

“So hindi tayo nakakuha ng identity dahil blackout noong nangyari ang pagsabog,” Ismael said.

Gregorio said that the Abu Sayyaf could be behind the twin blasts, which, he said, could have been a retaliatory attack following the military's offensive Monday at the bandits' camp in Tipo-Tipo town that left 6 militants dead.