Police detonates suspicious bag in Jolo, Sulu

SULU, Philippines – Police detonated late Saturday a bag left hanging on a street lamp pole on suspicion it contained a bomb, officials said. A police bomb expert carefully removed the bag and put it on the middle of the road in downtown Jolo and detonated it. The bag turned out to contain only pieces of rolled newspapers, said Sulu police chief, Julasirim Kasim. "We thought it was a bomb. Somebody phoned us to say that a man left the bag hanging on the street lamp. It is better to be vigilant," Kasim told GMANews.TV. Police said it used a small piece of plastic explosive to detonate the bag near the Catholic Church in Jolo town. The blast caused a small crater about four inches in diameter on the road. Policemen surrounded the area to prevent people from going near the site and trucks cordoned off roads around the place as they searched for suspicious package or bags nearby. Jolo was previously bombed by the Abu Sayyaf group that is holding television reporter Ces Drilon and her cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, including a university professor Octavio Dinampo. They were seized on June 8 in Maimbung town while on their way to interview a senior Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron who has sent surrender feelers. An ABS-CBN driver Angelo Valderama was freed on Thursday after negotiators headed by Indanan town mayor Alvarez Isnaji paid an unspecified amount of ransom. The gang is demanding up to P50 million ransom. - Al Jacinto