ZAMBOANGA CITY—Abu Sayyaf bandits took their campaign of terror to the heart of Basilan on Tuesday, setting off bombs at a Roman Catholic cathedral, school grandstand and three other places, and clashing with government forces in Isabela City.
At least 15 people, including the brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Purudji Indama, were killed in the attacks staged by armed men wearing police and military uniforms, reports said Monday night.
Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad appealed to local residents to stay calm and pray as he called on military and police officials to run after those responsible for the attacks, which happened for the first time in the city after more than 20 years.
“This is definitely the handiwork of terrorists out to sow fear among the people of the province,” Senior Supt. Antonio Mendoza, Basilan police chief, told reporters in Manila.
“These attacks were nothing but a desperate move of the Abu Sayyaf after experiencing setbacks in our previous offensives,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos.
A bomb explosion tore apart a Hyundai Starex van parked beside the grandstand of Basilan National High School in Barangay Eastside at around 10:30 a.m. Killed were two civilians and a man in police uniform, who later turned out to be Indama’s brother Benzar.
Prematurely triggered
Citing reports of bomb experts, Mendoza said in a phone interview that an improvised explosives device (IED) inside the van “was prematurely triggered.”
Three Abu Sayyaf members on board the vehicle, including Benzar who was seated at the rear portion, were killed in the blast, he said.
He said responding Marine soldiers were fired upon by the armed men. “Two of the Marines were initially wounded and later died,” he said.
“Our troops were being fired at by snipers. Some residents told us they saw at least eight armed men leaving the campus,” Mendoza told reporters in Manila. The attackers also fired at houses as they fled, he said.
Two more men wearing police uniforms were captured by the soldiers near the grandstand, he told local journalists.
Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, Western Mindanao Command chief, said the armed men belonged to the Abu Sayyaf.
Cathedral explosion
While the fighting was going on, another bomb placed under a motorcycle went off at the rear portion of Santa Isabel Cathedral on J.S. Alano Street at around 11 a.m., Mendoza said.
Five people were wounded, he said.
“The cathedral was attacked by rebels … I call my people to stay calm. I call the men and women in uniform. We need assistance to neutralize the situation in the cathedral,” Bishop Jumoad said in an interview over the Church-run Radio Veritas.
“I asked for prayers particularly from the Pink Sisters from the Carmelite monastery that there will be peace so that the problem will be immediately resolved,” he added.
Small stores and shops, and at least four vehicles were damaged by the blast, Jumoad said, citing reports from nuns and priests.
Jumoad said three other explosions rocked the city plaza, the house of Judge Leo Principe and the vicinity of City Hall.
Detonated bomb
But police said the bomb found outside Principe’s house was detonated by members of the Zamboanga Explosives and Ordnance Disposal Team.
The previous attack on Isabela occurred on Dec. 23, 1986, Jumoad told the Inquirer by phone.
“There were explosions, the public market and houses were burned, and so many people were left homeless,” Jumoad said. “But the church was spared.”
At least five Marines and one policeman, identified only as a certain Morales, were killed, police reports said Monday night.
One Marine was wounded while trying to secure the capitol building, Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, Marine commandant, was quoted by The Associated Press (AP) as saying.
Military and police officials refused to disclose the names of the government fatalities.
Five civilians were also among the dead, Mendoza told the Inquirer. He identified them as Enrico dela Luna, Edilberto Villa, Rodelio Francisco, Boy Nabi and one Ivan.
Several others were wounded, while five bandits were captured, Dolorfino said.
“Right now, clashes are ongoing near the Tabiawan area,” he said, raising fears that the attackers might proceed to Lamitan town.
City under control
Security forces were in control of Isabela and the city was cordoned off, Sabban told AP. “We are advising the civilians to stay calm and not to panic and let the security forces cordon the area.”
Basilan, a predominantly Muslim province, is home to the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group, notorious for kidnappings and bomb attacks over the last two decades, and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has a ceasefire agreement with the government while negotiating for autonomy.
US-backed offensives have considerably weakened the Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 390 fighters, but the government still considers the group a major security menace.
Cotabato Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo condemned the attack on the cathedral, saying it was meant to frighten the people of Mindanao and the Catholic Church.
Too much
“This is too much. This is an attempt to scare the people of Mindanao. This is an attempt to scare the Catholic Church,” Bagaforo said over Radio Veritas.
“We are in solidarity with the Church in Basilan. The Church in Mindanao are in solidarity in condemning this brazen act. This is proof that we need a heavy hand to control what happened in Basilan and even those that happened in other parts of Mindanao.”
With reports from Leila B. Salaverria and Associated Press
Source: Inquirer
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