Bomb blast in south Philippines kills at least 2

MANILA, Philippines – A crude bomb hidden on a motorcycle on Tuesday exploded in a port city on a southern Philippine island where al-Qaida-linked militants are active, killing at least two people and wounding 24, officials said.

The motorcycle was parked across from a store that was wrecked in the early-morning blast in downtown Jolo, killing the store owner instantly, police and the military said.

Another homemade bomb found nearby was detonated by authorities, said Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin.

At least two were confirmed dead, but the number of fatalities was expected to rise because many of the wounded — including two policemen — were in critical condition, said regional military commander Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban.

Most of the wounded were passers-by, and authorities suspended school classes in Jolo for fear of more attacks.

A radio report said police initially suspected the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group in the explosion.

The explosion follows a bomb blast Sunday outside a Roman Catholic cathedral in Cotabato city on the main southern island of Mindanao, which killed six people and wounded scores others in an attack the military blamed on the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The rebels denied it. They have waged a decades-long battle for self-rule in the southern Mindanao region, homeland of Muslims in this predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

Malaysian-brokered peace talks between the government and the rebels collapsed last year when a preliminary deal on an expanded Muslim autonomous region fell apart, sparking deadly clashes that have displaced large numbers of villagers.

Unlike the Moro rebels, who are pursuing on-and-off talks with the government, the Abu Sayyaf is considered a terrorist organization because of its al-Qaida links and many terrorist attacks, including ones on Americans.

The group and its allies, numbering about 400, have turned to kidnappings to make money in recent years, raising concerns among Philippine and U.S. security officials that ransom payments could revive the group, which has been weakened by years of U.S.-backed offensives.