Chairs and slippers scattered, a police line cordons off the area outside the boxing ring where local townsfolk were watching a tournament when two explosions occurred Wednesday night, injuring dozens. Photo supplied by Cpl Albert N. Tresve of the Philippine Army.
(UPDATE 7 - 1:24 p.m.) Two explosions ripped through a crowd watching a boxing match staged for the fiesta of Hilongos town in Leyte Wednesday night, injuring 32 persons, including several minors, police said.
Mayor Albert Villahermosa, who was at the plaza when the incident happened, said the first explosion happened around 9:30 p.m. and was followed by another blast 30 seconds later.
The blasts came a few days after the Christmas EVe grenade attack outside the Sto. Niño Shrine in Cotabato province that wounded 16. A roadside bomb in Aleosan town, also in Cotabato, about half an hour after the Hilongos blasts, also wounded six persons on a passing truck.
The police bomb squad reported that both bombs were crafted from 81-mm mortar shells and detonated through cellular phones. The first bomb was planted near the boxing ring, the second some 10 meters away.
Scene of the Crime operatives have already processed the crime scene and have an artist's sketch of the possible bomber that they are expected to release soon.
Superintendent Franco Simborio, provincial police director, said described the explosion of the second bomb as "low order," meaning it did not fully detonate.
Domingo Liba, 60, said he would have died had the second bomb fully exploded. He said he was carrying his son, who was wounded in the leg in the first explosion, when the second bomb detonated.
Three of Liba's children and a grandchild were among the wounded.
Pairs of slippers were left scattered in front of Hilongos Municipal Hall from people who had either been hurt or scampered to safety after the blast.
Police lines surround the site of Wednesday night's blasts in Hilongos the morning after. (photo by Lottie Salarda, InterAksyon.com)
In what could be a worrisome development, Hilongos police chief Albert Renomeron Jr. said they conducted a saturation drive of the local Muslim community because, he claimed, one of those injured was a Muslim man who refused treatment.
Villahermosa also suggested the bombing could be a retaliation against their anti-crime campaign, which he said led to the arrest of Muslim suspects for car theft, illegal drugs and production of fake money.
Asked why they conducted the saturation drive of the Mulsim community, Renomeron said: "Hindi naman ibig sabihin na suspect na sila, pinuntahan lang namin kasi nag-refuse magpagamot. May mga tinitingnan rin kaming iba-ibang anggulo sa insidenteng ito (It doesn't mean they are immediately suspects, we went there because of the man who refused treatment. we are also looking at different angles here)."
But none of the 32 names of the injured released by the Police Regional Office 8 appeared to be Muslim.
And PRO8 spokesperson, Chief Inspector Ma. Bella Rentuaya, said no suspect has yet been identified. She added none of the boxers was hurt in the explosions.
The list of victims:
From Hilongos
- John Reynal Lamo, 15
- Vicente Nunez, 24
- Jessica Geli, 19
- Ricardo Regaton , 53
- Jun Rey Lumbre, 20
- Aldrin Goltiano, 19
- Joseph Ryan Bohol, 24
- Domingo Oliva, 60
- Kevin Manicar, 13
- Cristita Ano-Os, 47
- Jay Miguel Liba, 15
- Christian Lelis, 14
- Letecia Liba, 55
- Erwin Liba, 33
- Rudy Bulfa, 33
- Giselle Managbanag, 25
- Elmer Rebullos, 27
- King Michael Melgazo, 15
- Leonilo Villaro, 28
- Doroteo Libres, 50
- Roselyn Lasmarias, 42
- Wilbert Fornis Alingasa, 14
- Guillermo Solera
- Rogelio Managbanag, 26
- Idinio Abes, 31
- Marnilo Macarat Lusuegro
- Marcelina Abina, 67
- Joel Mamalak, 14
- Mary Grace Judias, 20
- Christian Prado Liba, 12
- Chris Angel Abina, 7
- Jessie Abina, 32
Of the 32, 16 were brought to different hospitals in Eastern Visayas. The rest suffered only minor injuries and were treated as out-patients.
Police sources indicated that a third explosive was found in the wake of a search by military and bomb expert teams in the vicinity, which was another IED planted near the church.
"May mga kuha na rin kami ng CCTV (closed circuit television) na ating pag-aaralan para makita kung sino talaga ang gumawa nito (We also have CCTV footage which we will study to see if we can identify the perpetrators)," Renomeron told interAksyon.com.
The military has sent troops to reinforce the local police in securing the town.
Hilongos is about 152 kilometers south of Tacloban City, the regional capital. It is a second class town in Leyte with regular daily ferry trips to Cebu and Bohol.
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan condemned what it called a “clear act of terrorism” that “no one can ever justify” and urged the government to immediately bring the perpetrators to account.
At the same time, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. warned, “hindi dapat humantong sa mas mapanupil na mga patakaran at paglabag sa karapatan ang paglaban sa mga naghahasik ng terorismo (the fight against terrorism should not lead to more oppressive laws and violations of rights).”
http://interaksyon.com/article/135670/32-including-kids-hurt-in-hilongos-leyte-blasts
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