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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 25, 2002

Bomb Blast in Southern Philippines Kills 13 People

A Christmas Eve bomb attack by suspected Islamic militants killed at least 13 people and wounded 12 in the southern Philippines, the military said.


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A Christmas Eve bomb attack by suspected Islamic militants killed at least 13 people and wounded 12 in the southern Philippines, the military said.

Tuesday's bomb went off near the home of Mayor Saudie Ampatuan in Datu Piang town in Maguindanao province, said army spokesman Maj. Julieto Ando.

He said the death toll rose after authorities counted all the dead from hospitals in different towns.

Ampatuan later died of injuries to his head and abdomen. Among those killed were a town councilor, the treasurer and a bodyguard,Ando said. The others were not immediately identified, Ando added.

Ando, Army's Sixth Infantry Division spokesman, said initial investigation revealed that a homemade bomb, rigged from a mortar device, exploded as the mayor was sponsoring a thanks-giving partyfor the death of a relative at his compound.

Norie Unas, spokesman of the Ampatuan family, has called for sobriety among supporters of the clan, pointing out that the bombing has nothing to do with the death of the mayor's youngest brother, Hofer, on Sunday in Cotabato city.

Hofer was gunned down during a shooting with a son of a former Cotabato city councilor and his friend at a disco club. Nearly an hour later, armed men shot dead the former city councilor and his nephew at a hospital where his injured son and the family friend were brought.

"This kind of problem cannot be solved with another problem forthe motive is not yet clear as investigation is still ongoing," Unas said, referring to the bombing incident on Tuesday.


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