Explosion rocks Puerto Princesa Underground River

MANILA, Philippines - A grenade-like explosive device rocked the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) at 8:20 a.m. on Monday morning, reports at Sitio Sabang, Barangay Cabayugan said.

City Police Office Senior Supt. Abad Osit was reportedly on his way to Cabayugan to investigate the explosion, believed to be a scare tactic to ward off visitors at the national park.

"Everything is okay; no one was hurt. It looks like this is a scare tactic," park manager Elizabeth Maclang was quoted as saying by the state-owned Philippine News Agency (PNA).

The PPUR management has also cleared the area and canceled all travels inside the subterranean river, which was recently declared as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

PNA reported that a woman selling beach hats in the nearby wharf  said she held in her hand a round object placed in a plastic with other fruits. Her companion told her it was a grenade and they reported the object to authorities.

Reports said the explosion might have been caused by the police detonating the bomb, but Osit said they are still verifying the reports.