Philippine police believe a Shiite Muslim cleric was the likely target of explosions that killed two people in Manila on Saturday, an official said yesterday, rejecting Islamic State group (IS) claims of involvement.
Six others were injured when two explosions rocked the office of the imam, Nasser Abinal, in the capital’s busy Quiapo district.
Oscar Albayalde, head of police forces in the capital, said one bomb was apparently intended for Abinal, who is also government tax officer for the Manila region.
Photo: AFP
He was not at the office at the time.
“He admitted there were threats to his life in the past” when questioned by police, Albayalde told reporters.
The bomb was carried in a package by a hired delivery man who handed it over to an aide of Abinal just before it went off, killing them both.
As police were searching the blast site late on Saturday, another explosion rocked the area, possibly from a second bomb planted earlier, Albayalde said.
“This has nothing to do with terrorism. There is no indication that this was done by a terror group, local or foreign,” he said.
The Islamic State group has claimed it staged the explosion.
“Five Shiites were killed and six others wounded in a bomb blast by Islamic State fighters in the center of Manila,” said a statement from Amaq, the group’s propaganda arm.
Albayalde said this was just the Islamic State custom of taking credit for any such incidents.
The militant group has carried out attacks in other countries on Shiite sites and events.
However, Albayalde said the attack seemed to be targeting Abinal, adding that it might be for personal reasons, his work or his religion.
Tension remained high after the blasts, with police cordoning off the area again yesterday after a suspicious bag was spotted.
A bomb disposal robot later established it was a false alarm.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman, Ernesto Abella, urged the public to stay alert, but avoid spreading “unverified” news that might cause panic.
The Philippines is a mainly Catholic country, but has a significant Muslim minority, some of whom live in the Quiapo district.
Just more than a week ago another explosion injured 14 people in Quiapo as Southeast Asian leaders were meeting for a summit a few kilometers away.
The Islamic State also claimed responsibility for the April 28 explosion, but police insisted it was not a terrorist attack and not related to the gathering of political leaders.
Local Muslim militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group are based in the southern Philippines, hundreds of kilometers from Manila.
CELEBRATION: The PRC turned 75 on Oct. 1, but the Republic of China is older. The PRC could never be the homeland of the people of the ROC, Lai said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) could not be the “motherland” of the people of the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks in a speech at a Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, which is part of National Day celebrations that are to culminate in a fireworks display in Yunlin County on Thursday night next week. Lai wished the country a happy birthday and called on attendees to enjoy the performances and activities while keeping in mind that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation. He appealed for everyone to always love their
‘EXTREME PRESSURE’: Beijing’s goal is to ‘force Taiwan to make mistakes,’ Admiral Tang Hua said, adding that mishaps could serve as ‘excuses’ for launching a blockade China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will. The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement. China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth. The navy continues to
MAKING PROGRESS: Officials and industry leaders who participated in a defense forum last month agreed that Taiwan has the capabilities to work with the US, the report said Taiwan’s high-tech defense industry is to enhance collaboration with the US to produce weapons needed for self-defense, the Ministry of National Defense said in a report to the Legislative Yuan. Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Yen-pu (徐衍璞) discussed building regional and global industry alliances with US partners at the US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Philadelphia held from Sept. 22 to Tuesday last week, the ministry said in the declassified portion of the report. The visit contributed to maintaining bilateral ties, facilitated Taiwan’s efforts to acquire weapons and equipment, and strengthened the resilience of the two nation’s defense industries, it said. Taiwan-US ties
CONCERNS: Allowing the government, political parties or the military to own up to 10 percent of a large media firm is a risk Taiwan cannot afford to take, a lawyer said A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator has proposed amendments to allow the government, political parties and the military to indirectly invest in broadcast media, prompting concerns of potential political interference. Under Article 1 of the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法), the government and political parties — as well as foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them — cannot directly or indirectly invest in satellite broadcasting businesses. A similar regulation is in the Cable Radio and Television Act (有線廣播電視法). “The purpose of banning the government, political parties and the military from investing in the media is to prevent them from interfering
RSS