UPDATE: At least 14 dead in Jolo blasts

August 24, 2020

By Robina Asido

Fourteen persons, including seven soldiers, were killed while more than 30 were wounded in two improvised bomb explosions in Jolo on Monday.

Included in the updated fatalities was a police Special Action Force member.

Earlier, Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Commander chief,  said the explosion happened near Paradise Grocery Store at Barangay Walled City in Jolo around 11:50 am.

Vinluan said the soldiers were at the market when the improvised explosive device (IED) placed inside a motorcycle parked near the grocery store exploded.

"Five (soldiers) killed in action then 16 others were wounded in action, then there were four civilians killed," he said.

Vinluan expressed belief that the explosion was made by the group of Mundi Sawadjaan, "the same bomber who executed the bombing at theJolo Cathedral and at the headquarters of 1st BCT last year."

He also noted that these bombers are the same terrorists being hunted down by the four Army intelligence officers who were killed by policemen in shooting incident in Jolo more than a month ago.

"Actually they are the target of our four soldiers, the suicide bombers plus Mundi Sawadjaan. They are the target but it was not accomplish because of the (shooting) incident," Vinluan said.

Lt. Col. Ronaldo Mateo, Army's 11th Infantry Division spokesman, said based on an initial report there were around 20 civilians injured.

Mateo said the second explosion occurred near the Development Bank of the Philippines  around 1pm.

Vinluan said the second explosion happened around 100 meters away from the first explosion.

He said two more people including a woman who is a suspected bomber and one soldier were killed while at least six policemen were wounded because of the second explosion.

Vinluan said the soldier who was killed on the second explosion was approaching or questioning the women.

Mateo said following the explosions authorities placed Jolo under lockdown to hunt the perpetrators.

"We are placed under lockdown here in Jolo, then the security operations continued to hunt down the perpetrator, both combat operations and intelligence operations," Mateo said. DMS