Injured	Killed
2	0

Date: 15 August 2013
Source: GMA News

(Updated 11:54 a.m.) – Two people were hurt in a grenade blast outside the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral along General Arolas Street in Barangay Walled City, Jolo, Sulu, around 7 p.m., Wednesday.

Father Charlie Inzon of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, also president of the Notre Dame of Jolo, identified the blast victims as Ramon San Juan and China Pacana, both residents of downtown Jolo.

Col. Jose Johriel Cenabre, commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade, however, said the victims’ names are Romano San Juan, 25, a resident of Bgy. Tulay in Jolo, and Shaima Pakanna, 19, of Sitio Boutan, Bgy. Kajatian, Indanan, Sulu.

Both suffered minor injuries and are receiving treatment at a government hospital in Jolo run by the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO).

The blast also slightly damaged the roof of the cathedral, reports said.

Police recovered from the site a safety lever pin and safety lever of a fragmentation grenade. 

Inzon said the blast site is near the tomb of the slain Bishop Benjamin de Jesus.

Authorities have yet to find out the motive behind the explosion.

The suspect, according to Inzon, immediately fled after the incident and eluded arrest by pursuing policemen and patrolling soldiers.

“After the blast, everything has returned to normal,” said Inzon.

In past years, the Jolo cathedral had been a target of several bomb attacks, allegedly the handiwork of extremist groups, reports said.  — Malu Cadelina Manar/LBG/KG, GMA News