A series of bombs exploded in Manila yesterday, killing at least 14 people, wounding almost 100 and plunging the city into panic.
Ambulance sirens wailed as police rushed to the bomb scenes on a suburban train, a bus, a park bench near the US Embassy, a warehouse at the main airport and outside a luxury hotel.
A security official said one person had been arrested and that the attacks might be aimed at destabilizing the government.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The first four almost simultaneous explosions were at around noon. A fifth bomb, about two hours later, killed a policeman who was trying to defuse the device in a gift-wrapped package.
"This is the work of animals, people without souls," said Manila Mayor Lito Atienza in a radio interview. "They have no compunction about killing innocent civilians."
A government spokesman said earlier that authorities were working on the possibility the bombs had been placed by the Abu Sayyaf Muslim separatist group which operates mostly in the south of the country.
Police and television reports said 14 people had been killed and 95 injured.
Panic spread in the city of 12 million people after news of the explosions was reported. Streets were deserted by early evening and the usually crowded shopping malls virtually empty.
President Joseph Estrada appealed for calm.
"We are going to use the full force of the law to suppress this violence," he said. He blamed the blasts on "desperate and cowardly people" whose only aim was to advance a political agenda.
He did not elaborate and no group has so far claimed responsibility.
"We have some leads as to what groups were responsible," Presidential National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre told ABS-CBN television.
"If it is so general like this, and there are no specific victims, the intention is to hurt the public, then it is a destabilization move," Aguirre said.
The presidential palace dismissed opposition concerns that it was the work of government agents trying to prepare the ground for the imposition of martial law.
Estrada is being tried by a Senate impeachment court on charges of bribery and corruption and analysts have said the trial is going against him.
One of his most senior Cabinet ministers has said Estrada will find it difficult to govern even if he is acquitted. The court resumes proceedings on Tuesday after a 10-day recess.
The most devastating explosion was in the front coach of a crowded elevated train as it was pulling into a station. At least 11 people were killed and about 60 wounded, officials said.
So powerful was the blast that what appeared to be the limbs of a child were hurled meters away from where the lifeless body of the young victim lay, according to witnesses.
Another bomb went off on a park bench near the US Embassy, injuring nine people. A few hours earlier, Estrada had addressed a public function near there to commemorate the martyrdom of 19th century independence leader Jose Rizal.
A third bomb exploded on a bus as it neared a terminal, killing one person. "It was so powerful it stood the bus up on end," an ABS-CBN reporter said.
Several cars were also badly damaged.
A fourth explosion damaged a warehouse at Manila's international airport, some 700m from the passenger terminal. Six people were injured, officials said.
A fifth bomb was found in a gift-wrapped package near the Dusit Hotel in the Makati financial district. It was seen by a security guard and taken to an abandoned petrol station to be defused, where it later exploded.
A policeman was killed and another injured.
Rumors of more explosions swept the city.
Police emptied a shopping mall in Makati after they discovered an abandoned package but later found that it contained only mangoes, mushrooms and underwear.
Presidential spokesman Mike Toledo denied the bombings were an attempt to impose martial law.
"There are some people, and I understand it's some members of the opposition, who have already taken advantage of this situation by blaming the administration ... that somehow these are a prelude to martial law," he said.
A statement from a coalition of opposition parties said it was feared "these attacks are coming from people who fear the truth that is coming out at the impeachment trial."
"We warn Malacanang [the presidential palace] not to allow these terrorist attacks as an opportunity to create conditions of martial law or a state of emergency."
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