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Five people, including three Marines, were killed in a series of separate explosions and an ambush in the southern Philippine island province of Basilan on Tuesday.Philippine Marines commandant Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban described the incidents as "acts of terrorism," even as authorities have yet to determine the perpetrators.
"I think this is to create havoc in that area. I don’t know who the specific targets are but definitely it falls under terrorism, that is to create chaos," Sabban said.
He said he could not yet tell if the attacks had something to do with the upcoming May elections, but assured the military was already "on top of things."
Police and military officials said there were at least three separate explosions that rocked the province between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Senior Superintendent Antonio Mendoza, Basilan provincial police director, said the first blast happened inside a van in front of the Basilan National High School in Isabela City at about 10:30 a.m.
Killed in the incident were a still unidentified civilian and a man in police uniform. Authorities are still verifying if he was indeed a policeman.
When responding Marines and policemen rushed to the site, they were fired upon by snipers.
Sabban said three Marines were killed, but refused to identify the fatalities since their families have yet to be informed of the incident.
"Initially, the target were civilians... now the responding Marines are the ones being engaged," Sabban said in Filipino.
About 11 a.m., a second explosion rocked the province, this time in front of the Basilan Cathedral. No one was injured in the second blast.
Sabban said the third explosion happened "near the residence of Judge Principe of Isabela."
Judge Leo Jay Principe of the Basilan Regional Trial Court Branch 1 is the judge who issued arrest warrants against at least 130 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Abu Sayyaf in 2007 for the killing of 14 Marines, 10 of whom were beheaded.
As of posting time, authorities were still investigating the incidents.
— Mark Merueñas/RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV [GMANews]
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