At least 21 people killed in Philippines church bombing

International Desk: Two explosions at Jolo Cathedral in the Mindanao region of the Philippines killed more than a dozen people on Sunday.

Two suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs) detonated in intervals, according to the public relations office for the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Initial reports say 21 people are dead and 56 wounded.

The first device went off inside the cathedral, and the second targeted soldiers nearby who rushed to help the victims of the first explosion, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo told CNN.

The AFP and the Philippine National Police are securing the area and all casualties were immediately evacuated, ARMM said.

In a statement, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana "strongly" condemned the bombing and said he has directed troops to "heighten their alert level" and secure places of worship and public spaces.

"As we convey our sincerest condolences to the families and friends of the victims and offer our sympathy to the peace-loving people of Sulu who are severely affected by this dastardly act, we assure our people that we will use the full force of the law to bring to justice the perpetrators behind this incident," Lorenzana said.

He urged people to "remain calm and avoid spreading panic in our respective communities to deny terrorism any victory."

The Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo is a Latin Catholic missionary. The Mindanao region has been plagued with violence between Muslims and Christians for decades.

The explosion follows a Monday referendum asking the majority-Muslim population whether they back a plan by separatists and the government to create a new self-administered region. The referendum would create a new Muslim autonomous region that could bring a peaceful resolution between the government and the rebel group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front --a conflict that has claimed 120,000 lives since the 1970s.

The majority of the 2.8 million people participating in the vote supported the referendum, but the town of Jolo rejected it.

Agencies


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