Explosion rocks Lamitan

ZAMBOANGA CITY – An explosion rocked the town center of Lamitan City, Basilan and thrown residents to panic at dawn yesterday, according to police officials.

However, no one was reported hurt in the blast that ripped through the kitchen­ware stall along Pedro Cuevas Street, Lamitan City police commander Chief Inspector Christpher Panapan said.

Panapan said investigation showed the bomb, an improvised explosive device (IED), was rigged to the stall owned by Eddie Derino and exploded about 2:20 a.m.

Further investigation showed that the Abu Sayyaf could be behind the dawn explosion after those who planted the bomb was tagged to be followers of Abu Sayyaf leader Furuji Indama.

Indama is wanted for leading the Abu Sayyaf in the mutilation and beheading of 10 Marines on July 10, 2007 and a relative of one the three suspects that planted the motorcycle bomb in Batasan Complex in Manila which killed Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar and three other congressional staff in November last year.

The police, however, is still looking at several angles on the Lamitan blast.