A soldier was killed while eight others were wounded when an improvised roadside bomb exploded in Barangay Tipo-Tipo Proper in Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan early Tuesday.
In posts on Twitter, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs head Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said the incident occurred at 8:05 a.m.
"The bandits used pipe bombs that are similar to the ones recovered by the Scout Rangers in Mohammad Ajul town about two months ago," Cabunoc said.
He also quoted 18th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Cristobal Perez as saying a Malaysian bomber, Mohammad Hussein a.k.a. Abu Anas, is believed responsible for the attack.
Two of the wounded soldiers were in serious condition, Perez said. No civilians were hurt in the attack.
GMA News correspondent Peewee Bacuño cited information from Basilan provincial police showing the explosion occurred at about 7:50 a.m. at Sitio Bohepeyat (Limbungasani).
Bacuño reported one member of the Charlie Company of the Philippine Army's 18th Infantry Battalion was killed while four members of the same unit were wounded.
An initial investigation by the town police showed the soldiers were conducting security patrol and were heading to Valentin Detachment when the explosion occurred.
The suspected improvised explosive device exploded about one meter away from the soldiers' position.
Police are verifying information the Abu Sayyaf may be behind the explosion, as they were supposedly agitated by patrols conducted by security forces in the area.
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