Twin blasts damage bridge in Iligan City
April 22, 2009
By Katherine Evangelista, Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 08:05:00 04/20/2009
ILIGAN CITY, Philippines—(UPDATE 2) Twin explosions rocked a bridge here before dawn Monday, causing heavy damage to the bridge and nearby establishments, a police official said.
Chief Superintendent Danilo Empedrad, northern Mindanao regional police director, said the incident occurred around 2 a.m. at the left side of Agus Bridge in Barangay (village) Maria Cristina.
A minute later, another bomb exploded at the right side of the same bridge, which connects the city to Lanao Del Norte.
The military suspects that members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were behind the two explosions in Iligan City early Monday.
Colonel Benito De Leon, Army 104th Brigade chief, said the attack occurred amid threats of bombings in the city.
Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the bridge has been declared not passable.
“Nobody (else) specializes in such a terrorist operation (other) than the LMGs (lawless MILF groups). Initially their involvement is being looked into by PNP investigators,” said Cabangbang.
However, he did not specify which MILF command the military suspects to be behind the latest bombing.
He added that PNP and the Philippine Army Explosives and Ordnance Teams have been deployed to the crime scene to investigate.
The incident caused heavy damage to the bridge, adjacent houses, and the Napocor (National Power Corporation) warehouse.
The bridge is now cordoned by members of police and Armed Forces of the Philippines to conduct post-blast investigation.
Traffic has already been diverted, Empedrad said.
Mayor Lawrence Cruz said authorities could not say yet if the explosion caused serious structural damage to the bridge that would compromise public safety.
Cruz urged citizens to be vigilant in the wake of the explosion.
In 2008, three people died and more than 40 were wounded when suspected Moro rebels bombed a shopping mall here.
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Photo: http://www.bworldonline.com/
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