COTABATO CITY -- Two more explosions transpired at the back of the city hall here late Monday, several hours after the polling precincts closed for the May 13 local and national election, police said.
No one was hurt in the explosions that occurred around 10 p.m., some four hours after polling precincts closed.
Monday night’s successive blasts occurred at Purok Omar, Barangay Rosary Heights 10, where twin explosions also took place early morning of the same day before the conduct of the polls.
“The blasts on Monday night, however, were punctuated by the indiscriminate firing of guns,” said Col. Michael Lebanan, city police director, of the incident that occurred amid a heavy downpour in the city.
He said the explosions were caused by 40-mm projectiles fired from shoulder-fired M79 grenade launchers.
“It landed and exploded just outside the back fence of the city hall, the same area where the twin blasts early Monday also took place,” Lebanan said.
Police troopers have immediately scoured Purok Omar area for possible apprehension of suspects but yielded negative results.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) was canvassing the votes from Cotabato City at Shariff Kabunsuan Complex, the seat of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao here, at the time of the incident.
The Comelec has suspended the canvassing procedure about the same time the explosions took place and has set to continue the process on Tuesday morning. (PNA)
