Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr., National Police spokesman, said the explosion of a homemade bomb rendered impassable the Tangan Tangan Bridge in Barangay Taung, Patikul, Sulu.

“The destroyed bridge was closed to any kind of vehicle. Investigators were still determining what type of homemade bomb was used in the bombing. No casualty was reported,” he said.

The incident happened at about 1:45 p.m. on Saturday.

“Intelligence reports indicate that the perpetrators were Abu Sayyaf bandits,” Cruz said.

Military authorities said the bandits destroyed the bridge to cripple the mobility of soldiers and policemen.

At about 7 a.m. on Sunday, three successive explosions hit the newly constructed steel towers of NGCP in Barangay Santa Rita, Sagbayan, Bohol.

Cruz said the explosions failed to topple the towers.

In a separate interview, the commander of the Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion, Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., blamed an “extortion group” for the bombing.

“We believe that those behind the explosions belong to an extortion group,” Brawner said, adding he is not sure if it was the handiwork of the New People’s Army.

(Zaff Solmerin)