Cagayan de Oro blast an isolated case—police

MANILA, Philippines—A police official dismissed as an isolated case the bomb explosion near a hotel in Cagayan de Oro City Thursday, which left two dead and two others injured.

Superintendent Gil Hitosis, Region 10 police director, said that Maxadrea Hotel could be the target of the bomb attack.

“The proximity rule says that the suspects were targeting the hotel, following that the two [explosive devices] that were planted were both near the hotel,” Hitosis said in a phone interview.

He said authorities are now gathering more information about the hotel and its employees, and other business interests of its owner.

“But so far, nothing concrete has been observed,” he said, but adding that the two improvised bombs were probably planted by the same group.

The blast killed victims Rudy Jote and Expedito Endan, and injured Police Officer 1 Rogelio Canilanza and Police Officer 1 Dexter Dano.

He noted that the first explosion occured at the side of the hotel, while the other unexploded bomb was found under a vehicle parked in front of the hotel.

Closed circuit television footage showed three unidentified men placing the bombs at 1:08 a.m., but their faces could not be recognized, said Hitosis.