Manila (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Two Christians have been killed and three others wounded in an grenade attack late yesterday afternoon in the southern Philippines. Police sources report that two men on a motorcycle threw a grenade at the main entrance of the United Church of Christ in the town of Pikit, in the province of North Cotabato, on the southern island of Mindanao.
Local witnesses say that the community in the small
southern town was gathered in prayer, when
suddenly a loud explosion was heard. At the moment there are no claims or official news
about the attack; the assailants managed to make a clean get
away.
The victims are a nurse of 54 and a teacher of 39, who were hit by shrapnel and
died due to the severity of their
injuries. Pikit police chief Mautin
Pangandigan, reports that a M203 grenade launcher was used. Another
teacher and two businessmen
are injured and hospitalized,
but there are no further details about their conditions.
Pastor Jerry Sanchez explained
that at the time of the attack, there
were at least 40 worshipers
inside the church. "We have no idea why it happened - adds the local leader of the
Protestant community - but
we condemn this act of brutal force." He
reports that the community has
been active in promoting peace in
the region.
In recent years, the province of Cotabato has been the subject of numerous attacks carried
out by criminal gangs linked to
local political leaders or Islamic extremist Abu Sayyaf
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Often, however,
these acts go unpunished because of the climate of impunity that
characterizes the Muslim majority region
of Mindanao, which suffered more than 40 years of war between
Muslim rebels and the army.
Pikit, in particular, is a well-known
base for criminals and fighters linked
to extremist Islamic movements.
The peace agreement between the Milf and Manilashould put an end to the violence, but extremist
groups - such as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters (Biff) and
the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF) - have tried several times to hinder it.
In recent days, the police and government forces have been on alert for possible
attacks from groups opposed to the peace agreements,
but they do not rule out the involvement of clans and families engaged in
bloody feuds for control of the territory.