Bomb explosion jolts town in Zamboanga Sibugay

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – A homemade bomb exploded early Wednesday in front of hardware store in a southern Philippine town previously pillaged by Abu Sayyaf militants, officials said. Army Lt. Steffani Cacho, a spokeswoman for the military’s Western Mindanao Command, said the bomb, which exploded at around 4:10 a.m., damaged the façade of the L & A Construction and Electrical Supplies in downtown Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay province. No one was reported killed or injured in the explosion. Lieutenant Cacho said the motive of the bombing is still being investigated by authorities and no group or individual has claimed responsibility so far. “Suspects remain unknown for the moment while the motive of the blast is being investigated. The Army is actively assisting the police in the investigation," Cacho said. Abu Sayyaf militants Ipil town in April 1995, killing 53 people and burning the business center before escaping. More than 200 militants, headed by Abu Sayyaf chieftain Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, led the attack. Janjalani was killed three years later in a clash with police in nearby Basilan Island. - Al Jacinto, GMANews.TV