ZAMBOANGA CITY – Alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) are suspected to detonating an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that damaged a commercial district building in Lamitan City.
Basilan City Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt Nickson Muksan said the IED exploded at about 10:05 p.m. Sunday, destroying a section of the KMC Hardware Building owned by a certain Chinchin Yumol who is said to be a resident of Lamitan City.
Nobody was hurt as a result of the explosion but residents of the city were into mild panic after learning that another IED was also planted along Pamaran Street, Barangay Matatag.
The said IED was later on discovered a few meters away from the blast site.
Lamitan City vice mayor Roderick Furigay assures trading activities in the city has remained normal as of yesterday despite the incident.
Furigay also welcomed the arrival of 35 policemen from Metro Manila to Lamitan City to help in the maintenance of peace and order in the city.
Muksan said extortion activities is now becoming rampant in Lamitan City, reason why they are augmenting the city’s police force by bringing in the additional policemen from Metro Manila. (Nonoy E. Lacson)