Phl officials worry over SEAG host: Blasts rock Myanmar

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s top sports officials are closely monitoring the situation in Myanmar following a series of explosions in key cities over the past several days.

Myanmar will host the 27th Southeast Asian Games from Dec. 11 to 22. The Philippines is fielding a little over 200 athletes to the biennial event.

“This sounds serious. We are monitoring the situation. We don’t like to get caught in the middle of all this,” Garcia told The STAR.

Yet, the PSC chairman is hoping that the explosions have no connection with the coming SEA Games or will it have any effect.

“I hope this won’t affect the Games,” he said.

“We will always look after the safety of our athletes. We will keep our fingers crossed,” Garcia also said.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco is also concerned with the situation and is waiting for a report from POC first vice president Jose Romasanta who is in Myanmar.

Romasanta flew to Myanmar the other day to submit the final and official list of the Filipino athletes and officials who will be there for the Games.

“I’m still waiting for his call,” said Cojuangco.

According to wire reports, six explosions have rocked “hotels, a Buddhist pagoda and restaurants” in Yangon and Naypyitaw since Friday.

Yangon and Naypyitaw, the new capital, will host the Games, the latter being the main hub. A couple other events will be held in Mandalay.

According to the Associated Press, no one had claimed responsibility over the explosions, including one that rocked the Traders Hotel in Yangon around midnight Monday.

Two people have reportedly died due to the explosions and among the injured was an American tourist.

The United States embassy in Myanmar was quoted as saying that “there is no indication at this time” if the Americans were the target of the explosions.

“It sounded like a subdued explosion,” Reuters quoted Graeme Romer, a hotel guest, as saying.

After the explosion, the guest said he proceeded to the lobby and saw an injured guest “wrapped in bed sheets lying on the floor” and “she was bleeding profusely.”

Reuters also noted that it’s not the first time Myanmar was rocked by explosions.

“Three explosions during the Water Festival in 2010 killed at least 10 people and wounded more than 170. In May 2005, three bombs at a convention center killed 23 people and wounded more than 160,” the Reuters report said.