Bomb explodes in front of S. Kudarat church; 2 injured

TACURONG, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines—Two churchgoers were slightly injured when an improvised bomb exploded in front of a Catholic Church in Esperanza town in Sultan Kudarat Sunday morning, police said.

Supt. Romeo Galgo, speaking for police in Central Mindanao, said the bomb explosion occurred at 6:40 a.m. in front of the main entrance of Our Lady of Hope Church in Barangay Zaliao.

“It was a cellphone detonated IED (improvised explosive device),” Galgo told the Inquirer by phone.

Mayor Helen Latog of Esperanza said churchgoers were going out of the church when the blast occurred.

“The churchgoers were lucky that a car was parked across the main entrance to fetch someone,” Latog said in a phone interview.

She said the car served as blocking object but two of its passengers were hurt. Identities of the victims are not yet available as of posting.

Police and Army bomb experts are still conducting post blast investigation.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A police intelligence officer said it could be a diversionary tactic as the military launched air and ground assaults against Maute terrorist group in Lanao del Sur./rga

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