Bomb explodes near Isabela mayor’s house

MANILA, Philippines—An improvised bomb went off anew in front of the residence of incumbent Isabela Mayor in Basilan early Saturday—the second time since the similar incident occurred last year.

Reports from Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police regional office said the homemade bomb exploded around 2 a.m. beside the concrete fence of Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar’s house along the National Highway in Barangay (village) Sunrise.

No one was hurt in the incident, the police said.

As the improvised explosive device set off, a two-foot crater was created on the roadside while portions of the concrete fence of Akbar’s house were destroyed.

Near the house of the Isabela mayor, another explosive, an 81mm mortar, was also recovered in a videoke house.

In an early INQUIRER.net report, an explosive was recovered in New Mabuhay Trading shopping center in Isabela city.

ARMM PRO said Isabela police are still investigating the incident.

Akbar is the wife of former Basilan representative Wahab Akbar who was one of those killed in the Congress bombing last 2007.

Congressman Akbar was a former member of the Abu Sayyaf who later turned against the extremist group and helped the government in the campaign against it.

He was believed to be the target of the bombing incident.

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