Cotabato City to hold candle ceremony on anniversary of deadly bombing

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Local government officials here were to lead later Tuesday a candle lighting ceremony to  commemorate a terrorist bombing here last year that killed eight persons and wounded at least 40 others.

Halima Satol of the city information office said the ceremony would be held at the city hall, known as “People’s Palace,” at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

City employees and relatives of those who perished will also march to the blast site, about 100 meters  from the city hall, to light candles.

On August 5 last year, a powerful improvised explosive device made from a 105-millimeter mortar laced with a flammable substance went off in a car parked in front of Villa Funeral Homes. The blast occurred as the vehicle of Mayor Japal Guiani, with  city administrator Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi aboard, was about to pass by.

Sayadi believed she or the mayor was the main target of the perpetrators.

Eight persons, including Sayadi’s escorts on motorcycles, were killed in the explosion that shocked the city and the Muslim faithful who were  observing the fasting month of Ramadhan at the time. About 40 others were hurt.

No one has claimed responsibility for the bomb attack.

Senior Superintedent Rolen Balquin, Cotabato police chief, said the attack could have been intended for the city administrator as the explosive device, planted in a vehicle, went off as she was passing by.