MANILA, Philippines -- Catholic Bishop Martin Jumoad of Basilan has appealed once more for the deployment of more soldiers and policemen on the island province following the bomb attack December 23 that injured at least 22 civilians.

Jumoad said the latest attack succeeded in keeping most Catholics away from their churches for the traditional midnight mass on Christmas Eve, December 24.

"This is an anti-Christmas group, I think that would be an appropriate description," he said when interviewed on Friday.

Jumoad has been calling for greater police visibility for the past several months when the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group went on a kidnap-for-ransom rampage, abducting civilians and even humanitarian aid workers.

"I appreciate what the police and the military are doing but the people are not contented. They should double their efforts," the bishop urged.

"We appeal to the government to augment the forces in Basilan. I was told there is only one Marine brigade assigned in Basilan," he added.

Military authorities said a fragmentation grenade was thrown outside Jollibee in Isabela City around 9 p.m. of December 23.

Most of the injured were civilians between 16 and 24 years old who were relaxing in the plaza in front of the popular food chain, during a concert.

At the Sta. Isabel Cathedral, which is near Jollibee, attendance to the Misa De Gallo (pre-dawn mass) a few hours after the blast went down by about a third, said Jumoad.

He said the attendance at the Misa De Gallo at 3 a.m. of December 24 went down from 4,000 to 2,500, while the attendance at the 4:30 a.m. mass went down from 3,000 to 2,000.

The bishop, however, added that the Church turnout was still big on Christmas Day, December 25.

"Most probably [the bomb attack] was intended to sow fear so Catholics would not attend the Misa De Gallo, because it happened late December 23," Jumoad said.

"It's a signal that they are capable of doing something worse, a worse terrorist act," he added.

He believed that the December 23 bombing in Basilan and the December 24 bombing in Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato were perpetuated by the same group.

No group has come forward to claim responsibility.

"I think they could be connected because the aim is to sow fear and terrorism, maybe to send a signal [to authorities]," Jumoad said.