Grenade explodes near Jolo cathedral

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – Residents were thrown into panic when a grenade explosion rocked the downtown plaza of Jolo, the capital of Sulu, just in front of the Mt. Carmel Cathedral Thursday night, the military said.

Lt. Col. Robert Velasco, commander of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 6, said no one was reported hurt in the 9:30 p.m. explosion as there were no more civilians at the plaza.

About a dozen explosions have hit the cathedral in previous years, the military said. Thursday night’s explosion was the second this year.

“We believe this could be part of the harassment to terrorize the people,” said Velasco, not ruling out the possible hand of the Abu Sayyaf in the blast.

The Abu Sayyaf has been tagged in bombings in downtown Jolo and nearby Indanan town where two US servicemen were killed in a roadside blast.