UPDATE: 27 dead, 77 wounded in Jolo church attack
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2019 04:20:59 +0000
Twenty-seven persons — seven soldiers and 20 civilians — died in the twin explosions at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday.
Authorities said 77 others were wounded.
Senior Insp. Jemar de los Santos, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said among those killed was a personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard.
A report from the military’s Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) said the first improvised explosive device (IED) exploded inside the cathedral, killing most of the civilians.
Another explosive went off at the entrance of the cathedral, killing the responding soldiers.
Col. Gerry Besana, WestMinCom spokesman, tagged the Abu Sayyaf Group as the primary suspect in the attack.
However, authorities are not discounting the possibility that other terror groups in Mindanao may also be involved. DEMPSEY REYES
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