Twin blasts: 2 killed; mayor, 10 others hurt

COTABATO CITY — Two children of a barangay councilor were killed and 11 others, including a town mayor, were injured in separate explosions in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat yesterday, authorities said.

In Maguindanao, Mayor Vivencio Bataga of Parang town was supervising the demolition of illegal vending stalls near the public market when unknown men hurled a fragmentation grenade.

The blast injured Bataga, two of his security escorts and six bystanders.

It was the second explosion in Parang in less than a week. Last Thursday, an improvised bomb went off at a gasoline station not far from the town proper. At least five people were injured.

In Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, two children of barangay councilor Teresita Cabaguing were killed and two others were injured when an improvised bomb exploded in front of Cabaguing’s electrical repair shop.

Police said two motorcycle-riding men left a bag containing the explosive after posing as customers of the electrical repair shop.

A few minutes after the two men had left, the bomb went off, killing Cabaguing’s children Cris Ian, 16, and Rose Eden, 34, and injuring Alma Vidal and Boyet Cabaguing.

Probers were eyeing personal grudge as a possible motive. Two men have been held for questioning.

Maj. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, would not say who the suspects in the Parang blast might be.

Although Muslim separatist guerrillas are known to be active near Parang, Ando would not say if they were involved.

The Agence France Press quoted Bataga as saying that he believes that his political rivals might be behind the blast, but he would not elaborate.

Bataga has been known for his iron-fist policy against lawless elements. For instance, he has campaigned relentlessly against illegal loggers who transport "hot" forest products through his municipality.

The blast site is not far from Camp S. K. Pendatun, the command center of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police.

Probers said the improvised bomb planted at the Parang gas station was made of an incendiary chemical mixed with steel scraps and rigged with a time-delayed, battery-operated timing device.

The five wounded civilians — identified as Arnold Magbanua, Anthony Manla, Gilbert Montales, Arnold Cuenca and Julain Delfin — are still confined in different hospitals here.

The entire southern Philippines has been on alert after a powerful bomb went off in a wharf in Davao City on April 2, killing 22 people. A day later, bombs were hurled at three mosques in Davao City although no one was injured. — With John Paul Jubelag and AFP