Explosion rocks Masbate City port bridge

An explosion allegedly from a detonated improvised explosive device (IED) rocked the Masbate City Port’s bridge on Wednesday night, the Masbate police said on Thursday.

Probers from the Masabate police are still determining the motive behind the explosion, which did not result in any injury.  A report from DZMM said witnesses told police that the IED was left by two unidentified men.

A motorized passenger boat docked at the pier was destroyed because of the explosion that happened around 11:15 p.m., according to Senior Inspector Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson of Bicol police.

The strong explosion sank the passenger boat that could accommodate 8 to 10 passengers marked as “Noylan” owned by Choy Tuazon, 40, of Barangay (village) Nursery in Masbate City, she said.

Based on the account of a witness, two unidentified men placed a small box at the port stairs, then after a few minutes, a loud explosion happened, Calubaquib said quoting an initial police report.

Police investigators said the blast damaged the stairs of the pier. Investigators recovered from the blast scene several pieces of PVC pipes, paper box, and a sim card.

On Tuesday, another IED exploded at Barangay San Jose in Antipolo City.  Police initially said members of the communist New People’s Army were behind the blast.  /muf /jpv