Zambo Blasts in Philippines Kill Many, Wound Over 100

by Ma Nguyen Tong

29-10-2002

Fighting in the Philippines civil war intensified with separatists continuing to plant explosives throughout the country in October 2002, causing a horrific rate of casualties. Death jarred Zamboanga City just before noon on October 18 as two bombs ripped through two adjacent stores in the city's busy commerical district, killing at least seven people and wounding 150 others. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, for which authorities blamed separatists. Up to 16 people were detained for questioning, but 13 Filipinos were released when it was obvious they had nothing to do with the incident. A Malaysian and two Turks off a visiting ship also had nothing ot do with the bombing, but they were deported becaused they had stepped off their ship without appropriate documentation. In the middle of October the country, including its capital, took on an atmosphere of being under seige with the government recommending everyone stay away from large crowds, shopping centres, markets, particularly for the 72 hours starting at midnight October 19, as it was expected Metro Manila would be attacked during that period. (see other related stories this issue) Bombs continued to be planted and exploded in and around Zamboanga and other part of the Philippines, including Manila, during October.

The first bomb--one of nine planted around downtown Zamboanga City that day--exploded around 11:30 hrs on the ground floor of the 5-storey Shop-O-Rama department store along Gov. Lim Street, some 200 m away from the Zamboanga City police station. The blast critically wounded several people and sent panicked shoppers in the usually busy commerical district rushing into the streets. Minutes later, a second bomb explode din the adjacent Shoppers' Central, instantly killing at least one person. Six others died on arrival at different hsopitals or while being treated.

Police said the bombs, one of which was gift-wrapped, were left in the baggage counters at the doors of both department stores. They said that the security personnel who inspect the bags of every person entering public places such as stores, did not know what the explosives would look like. They usually are fashioned out of plastique and painted to look like ordinary items.

After the blasts, wounded victims lay on the sidewalk of the narrow Lim St. amid mangled bodies, body parts, shattered glass, and wreckage. The force of the explosions destroyed metal shutters and windows of nearby establishments.

The police bomb squad found and defused seven other bombs around downtown Zamboanga City and managed to defuse them before more carnage could take place.

Television footage showed stunned policemen, firemen and civilians running around in circles, screaming and crying and dropping the equipment of their trades, apparently confused by the fear and chaos around them. The footage showed two men trying to help by dragiing a seriously injured man by his feet. Then a bloddied man, with most of his shirt, pants and skin ripped away by the blast staggered into the camera's field and appeared to try to lie down in agurney, but police dragged him off.

The entire block of shops was evacuated, and people took shelter in the second department store when it, too, exploded. Footage showed the whole incident unfold before viewers' horrified eyes as people were cut down, wreckage and body parts flying in all directions. A leg hit and smashed the television camera, thus ending that transmission.

The bombings came just hours after Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya had assumed his post as chief of the Armed Forces Southern Command and, along with American troops, had vowed to crush the separatist army operating in the area. A similar bomb was found and defused in a jeepney on October 10 and another found and defused at a flea market near the Shrine of Fort Pilar on October 12. An earlier bombing in the area had killed an American Green Beret and wounded another, as well as killing three Filipinos. Bombs also exploded in sevral parts of Metro Manila, one in a bus killing several people and injuring dozens. Furthermore, an estimated 5 kilograms of materials used for making a powerful explosive were discovered in a bus plying the EDSA road through Metro Manila on October 16. The bomb was defused by the driver and conductor, even though they had no idea what they were doing. All bombs were highly explosive TNT or C4 explosive.

Philippines leader visits bomb site

The Philippines President, Gloria Arroyo, flew to Zamboanga to meet military commanders following the two bombs. Minutes after President Arroyo arrived, hospital officials said one of the wounded in the bombings on Thursday had died, bringing the death toll to seven. Mrs Arroyo later visited the site of the bomb blasts.

Zamboanga shrine blast kills 2, wounds 12

Another bomb exploded at a Catholic shrine in Zamboanga the evenbing of October 20, killing at least two people, one of them a marine, and wounding 12 others. The explosion, caused by a bomb supposedly left in a pedicab, occurred at about 20:00 hrs. at the entrance of the Fort Pilar shrine--one of the holiest places in the city.

Most of the 12 wounded, one of whom was a one-year-old child, were candle peddlers and were rushed to the Zamboanga City Medical Center.

The shrine, which is heavily guarded on Sundays, features a centuries-old icon of the Virgin Mary that local Catholics say has miraculous powers.

Bombing suspects arrested

Five men were arrested in connection with the bomb attacks and they were "virtually caught in the act" of preparing a new attack, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo said. Mrs Arroyo was speaking during a television broadcast which showed the suspects being brought before the media. Police said the men were members of the militant Islamic separatist group the Abu Sayyaf. They were brought to the capital Manila after being arrested the night of October 22.

They were being held on suspicion of involvement in the explosions in the two department stores and at the Catholic shrine in the city of Zamboanga. The arrests come amid heightened security across the region following the October 12 nightclub bombing in Bali, Indonesia, which has also been linked to Muslim extremists.

'Evidence' seized

The five suspects, aged from 18 to 27, supposedly confessed to the bombings, said Chief Superintendent Eduardo Matillano. He said the group were all Abu Sayyaf members, which is best known for its stated aim, which is the creation of an Islamic state in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines.

Police seized from the group a map of Zamboanga, two handguns, explosive chemicals, nails, tools, camouflage uniforms, a bottle of petrol and a diagram showing how to make a car bomb. They also recovered a baggage tag from Shop-O-Rama department store, the scene of one of the October 17 bombings.

Police said the five suspects were caught based on descriptions given by witnesses who saw them park a bicycle at the entrance of the Catholic shrine soon before the explosion. Chief Superintendent Simeon Dizon, regional police commander, said the arrested men told police that their colleagues were behind a bomb on October 2 that killed a US serviceman and three Filipinos.

About 1,000 US troops were in the southern Philippines, on a six-month mission to help Filipino soldiers to fight the Abu Sayyaf.