AFP: 3 dead, 30 hurt in Tacurong explosion

Three people were confirmed killed while about 30 others were injured after an explosion ripped a billiard hall at the back of the Tacurong City Public Market in Sultan Kudarat. Lieutenant Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said the blast happened at the corner of Bonifacio and Abad Santos Streets. He corrected earlier reports which said five people died in the incident. Figures quoted by the Tacurong police, however, showed as many as 35 people were wounded. Superintendent Joel Limson, chief of the Tacurong City police, said five fatalities were initially reported. Radio station dzBB said an improvised explosive device wrapped in plastic went off at about 4:50 p.m. Authorities are currently investigating the incident. On April 29, soldiers tightened security in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat after foiling what could have been a bomb attack on a police post there. News reports said that the bomb was left near a police outpost in Tacurong City, but was discovered before it was to explode. The discovery of the bomb came a day after the United States warned its citizens against traveling to Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago because of heightened terror activities. In December last year, four people were injured after an explosion hit a commercial establishment also in Tacurong City. Chief Superintendent German Doria, head of the Region 12 police, said the incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. at the Kimsan Plaza along Bonifacio Street. "The explosion happened inside the mall itself near the baggage counter. The good news here is that there were no casualties ... but I still don't know how severely [they were injured]," Doria said in Filipino. - GMANews.TV