Twin explosions rock Lamitan City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Two bomb explosions rocked separate places almost simultaneously in Lamitan City, Basilan Thursday night, authorities said.

The first blast occurred at 9:04 p.m. in front of the house of Lamitan Vice Mayor Arleigh Eisma along Aguinaldo Street in Barangay Maganda, while the second explosion happened six minutes later at the main gate of the San Isidro Chapel in Barangay Colonia.

No one was reported killed or injured in both incidents, said Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command.

Chief Inspector Almer Ismael, Lamitan police chief, said the first bomb ripped Eisma’s pick-up truck while the other explosive partially damaged the gate of the chapel.

Ismael said the blasts occurred during a blackout in Lamitan, thus no witnesses were available.

“It could be politics but we are still conducting interviews,” said Col. Carlito Galvez, commander of the Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade.

The military though also suspects that the Abu Sayyaf could be behind the bombings to retaliate for last Monday’s government offensive on its camp in Tipo-Tipo town that killed six militants.

According to intelligence reports, the Abu Sayyaf’s urban terror group under a certain Mudzri Abih, alias Idol, was planning to bomb the cities of Isabela and Lamitan in retaliation to the military offensive. – With Jaime Laude