Seven persons, including a provincial board member of Misamis Oriental and a doctor, were killed and 41 others wounded in an explosion outside a bar in Cagayan de Oro City late Friday night.
The blast, which happened around 11:30 p.m., ripped through the crowd outside Kyla's Bistro at Rosario Arcade, within the compound of Limketkai mall, killing Provincial Board member Rolden Lagbas, Dr. Erwin Malanay, a product manager of Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines, Anthony Cañete, 35, Ryan Palapac, 34, Emmanuel Palapac,34, and Antonio Paredez, 44, all representatives of drug firms.
Late Saturday morning, another medical company representative, Reynaldo Daupan of UAP Unilab, became the seventh fatality.
Many of the wounded were also representatives of pharmaceutical companies.
The Philippine Medical Association condemned the “dastardly act of violence against our people,” which it said happened as more than a thousand members of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians and the Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, gathered in Cagayan de Oro for their conventions.
The bar where the blast happened was the venue for a fellowship night to kick of the conventions.
Following is a list of the injured provided by various sources.
Polymedic Medical Plaza
- Marciano Agustine
- Camile Manuta, 23
- Jasmine Faith Lagora,17
- Tristan Jay Ambe, 31
- Fredelyn Plurog, 23
- Jandre Aguilar
- Ritchie Fernandez
- Lemuel William Lee
- MaryLyn Maglicayan
- Michelle Mangaline
- Dr. Bautista, Rainvel
- Coz Julito, outpatient
- Raymond Escover
- Cherry Escover, outpatient
- Jesse Evangelio, outpatient
- Anna Lucio
- Albana, Ailka
- Karen Francis Mazon
- Maria Cresilda Tan
- Noel Villegas
- Melgasar Balasi
- Gina Remson
- Felipe Micayabas
- Alma Agdo
- Rodelio Robles
- Serafin Kho
- Guilbert Espiritu
- Juvine Dinggal
- Seragan Jaboc
- Jenifer Cuizon
- Joey Guita
- Rowelyn Bacsarza
- Pheny Egango
- Lilibeth Paredez 43
- G.J. Kahoy, 23
- Marne Tamayo, 24
- Security guard Dante Aguinaldo, 35
- Security guard Regie Butok, 20
- Clint Dacer, 30
- Maria Alcordo, 43
- Maricel Acosta, 43
Chief Superintendent Catalino Rodriguez, Northern Mindanao regional police director, said witnesses saw a man enter the bar with a backpack, which he left on a chair by the entrance when he left a few minutes later.
The explosion happened two minutes later.
Local businessman Noel Arcenas, who owns an electronics shop at the shopping complex where the restaurant is located, said at least 100 people were inside the bar when the explosion occurred.
"I felt then heard the blast," said Arcenas, who added he was standing about 15 meters away.
"I looked around and saw this ball of white smoke. People were running away bloodied and survivors were dragging at least seven or eight people away from the blast site."
The powerful explosion broke glass panels, upturned tables and chairs, and damaged cars parked up to 30 meters away, reporters at the scene said.
Investigators have still to determine the type of explosive used in the attack.
Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno told ABS-CBN television network that at least two of the wounded were in critical condition.
"Doctors have been attending to them and we hope their situation will stabilise soon," Moreno told the station.
Asked who he thought was responsible for the attack, he said: "It's hard to speculate at this time."
Police have been placed on full alert and the region sealed off to prevent the suspects from fleeing.
PMA president Dr. Leo Olarte, in a statement, said many members of the Philippine Dental Association were also in the city for another activity.
He urged authorities, particularly Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, to “decisively act” on the incident and warned that the World Medical Association is now having second thoughts on holding its convention in the country, scheduled before the end of the year.
“Our colleagues from the World Medical Association are asking us if it is still safe to send their members to the Philippines,” Olarte said.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/67302/6-dead-28-hurt-in-cagayan-de-oro-blast---reports
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