2LT International News

MANILA, Philippines – An explosion rocked a small town in the Philippines as large crowds gathered around a shopping area to celebrate the Hamungaya Festival. 

The Isulan police have said that the IED an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion occurred at around 8:34 pm in Barangay Kalawag 3 of the town, which is the official provincial capital of Sultan Kudarat.

The police said that the blast struck an area in front of J and H Marketing along the national highway which passed through an area of the Isulan town proper and seemed to have targeted the large crowd that had gathered to celebrate the festival and for ukay-ukay shopping.

Isulan police chief Superintendent Celestino Daniel said in a statement that three people had died in the bombing, and 37 others had suffered grave injuries. 

The police chief said that two people were killed on the spot and the third victim died on Thursday morning after succumbing to his injuries. 

Superintendent Daniel added that of the 36 wounded, 15 have been discharged from the hospital as of Thursday.

Nine of those injured in the blast were rushed to the Holy Nazarene Clinic, while the rest were taken to the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Hospital.

According to a statement issued by the police chief and quoted in the Rappler, the initial police probe points to the bomb being placed beneath a motorcycle parked in the area.

Further, the top cop added that they have not blamed any particular group for the blast so far, and are currently pursuing some specific leads.

The blast occurred in the town as people were celebrating the Hamungaya Festival, which marks prosperous living.

Earlier on Wednesday, a Philippine military commander said that the bomber had been offering fruit to people, in hopes of evading suspicion, when he abandoned the bag that also contained the bomb.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana reportedly said that wary residents alerted the police when the man hurriedly left the bag under a parked motorcycle near the night market.

He also revealed that troops chased the man after being alerted by the local villagers, but said that he fled on a motorcycle that had its engine already running in the chaos caused by the explosion.

Further, Sobejana said that the bomb was made from a water pump, which shattered and blew steel fragments and motorcycle parts toward the night-market crowd.