ICC Note:

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detonated outside of a Catholic church in Mindanao, Philippines on Sunday, November 27th. The bomb was detonated remotely by cell phone as church-goers were emerging from mass. Fortunately, a car parked between the entrance of the church and the bomb and deflected much of the explosion. Two of the passengers, however, received minor shrapnel injures from the explosion. The archbishop of Cotabato, Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, said “It is an attack on human lives. It is also an attack on freedom of religion and freedom to worship.” Some think the attack may be a retaliation for an offensive against terrorist groups in the region.

11/29/2016 Philippines (Minda News) – Two people were injured when an improvised bomb exploded in front of a Catholic church in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat Sunday morning, November 27.

The blast occurred at 6:40 a.m. as churchgoers were emerging from the just-concluded mass for the first Sunday of Advent at the Our Lady of Hope church in Barangay Saliao.

“It was a cellphone-detonated IED (improvised explosive device),” Supt. Romeo Galgo Jr., speaking for police in Central Mindanao region, told the Philippine News Agency.

Esperanza mayor Helen Latog quickly activated the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) to attend to wounded victims.

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