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| Southeast Asia |
| 3 dead in North Cotabato explosion |
| 2005-09-25 |
| A GRENADE explosion killed three men and wounded, at least, a dozen more in North Cotabato (not in Zamboanga as earlier reported), southern Philippines, police said on Saturday. Police said the explosion occurred during a public dance party before midnight in the town of Pigkawayan, North Cotabato province, but local officials were quick to rule out terror attack, saying, initial reports suggested the blast was believed connected to an earlier fight between two groups. A provincial spokesman, Carlos Bautista, said Gov. Emmanuel Pinol ordered a thorough investigation into the blast and for local officials to help those wounded. "The police are now looking into this and we will prosecute those responsible in the explosion," Pinol was quoted as saying. Police were questioning a former army soldier who was told to leave the party after his group had engaged teenagers in a heated argument. It said the blast occurred after the man had left. Last month, a homemade bomb detonated by suspected Abu Sayyaf militants in North Cotabato's Arakan town. Although no casualties were reported, the blast destroyed a bakeshop. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |