IMAGE OF THE DAY

RP-US joint military exercise kicks off in Sulu.

Filipino soldiers gather with their American trainors
after a formal opening ceremony of Balikatan 2006

inside the Army's 104th Brigade headquarters in

Jolo, Sulu.(HADER GLANG)

1 killed, 20 hurt in bomb explosion

near RP-US Balikatan base in Sulu

A bomb attack killed a civilian and injured 20 people late Saturday at a videoke bar near an Army headquarters on Jolo Island in the southern Philippines, where American soldiers have been staying for the RP-US joint anti-terrorism exercise.

The explosion went off at 8:30 p.m. at the V-Mar Videoke Bar, about 100 meters away from the gate of the Philippine Army’s 104th Brigade headquarters in Camp Teodulfo Bautista, Busbus, Jolo town.

Major Gamal Hayudini, public information chief of the Armed Forces Southern Command, said a loud explosion was heard believed to be an improvised bomb at the second floor of one of the videoke bars.

“The blast caused a total damage of the music lounge. There were three enlisted personnel, two males, six females and two children that were injured,” Hayudini told Zamboanga Southwall.

The attack came few hours after the "Balikatan Exercises 2006" designed to train, advise and assist the Filipino troops formally started on Saturday in the province amid threats from the Al Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

Col. James Linder, commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, delivers his speech during the opening ceremony.

A journalist based in Jolo reported unconscious victims — some suffered burns and fractures with their shirts bloodied -- were rushed to the hospital. “The explosion killed a civilian, a driver for the US personnel. It was very powerful and destroyed the walls of videoke bar.”

Other sources from Jolo town said attending physicians declared six blast victims were critically wounded, but there were no reports of American casualties.

No one claimed responsibility for the blast. Suspicion fell on the Abu Sayyaf group who had threatened to attack US targets and previously killed three Americans, including a serviceman participating in the 2002 Balikatan and two hostages in Palawan.

Military officials said they were trying to see if the bombing was linked to a series of incidents early this month in Sulu, where suspected Abu Sayyaf terrorists strafed houses killing six people and beheaded a civilian and shot dead a police agent. (ZS)