2 IEDs exploded at Leyte town plaza; 33 hurt – police

Victims of the town plaza bombing in Hilongos, Leyte, get emergency treatment at a hospital. Photo contributed by Michael Bardos

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte — Improvised explosive devices (IED) were used in the bombing of the town plaza in Hilongos, Leyte past 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

Chief Insp. Alberto Renomeron, Hilongos police chief, said in a phone interview, two IEDs exploded at the Rizal Plaza where people were watching a boxing event in celebration of Hilongos’ annual fiesta.

A third IED was planted outside the church but didn’t explode, reports said.

Renomeron said the victims were brought to the Hilongos District Hospital and Leyte Baptist Hospital.

Philippine Red Cross-Hilongos chapter administrator Everlisa Alotaya said the number of injured victims has reached 33.

Chief Supt. Elmer Cruz Beltejar, police director for Eastern Visayas, said five of those wounded were in critical condition.

Renemeron said the local police were still in the process of identifying the perpetrators but his men as well as members of the local Explosive and Ordnance Division and the Scene of the Crime Operatives were already in the crime scene.

Checkpoints were also being conducted on roads leading to and going out of Hilongos in a bid to arrest the perpetrators.  SFM