Police, military on alert after Imelda market blast

The police and military are on alert after a bomb exploded outside the integrated bus terminal in Imelda town, this province at dawn on July 31.

The police said the improvised explosive device (IED) that exploded about 5:30 a.m. on Sunday is believed to have been intended to hit the bus terminal.

The bomb was instead was abandoned on the road due to the presence of security.

Senior Supt. Romulo Cleve Taboso, Zamboanga Sibugay provincial chief, said that a saleslady found the box that turned out to contain the IED near the entrance of the terminal.

The saleslady -- identified as Sylvia Arioste, 43 -- picked up the suspicious package to place it on a bamboo plank over a canal to keep it from getting wet.

Arioste went inside their store to take her breakfast and, moments later heard a loud explosion, according to Taboso.

According to an earlier report, the explosion damaged a market stall.

Responding police, military forces and explosive ordnance disposal personnel recovered a damaged cellphone, a SIM card, wirings and debris of a plastic container.

Taboso said the responding forces also recovered two unexploded IEDs, which were part of the main bomb that exploded.

He said the EOD disclosed the IEDs, which contained white and brown explosive granules, were brought to the police laboratory for examination.

Police do not have a suspect in the bombing yet but security has already been tightened.

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