Unidentified suspects lobbed a grenade into a mosque in Zamboanga City on Wednesday, killing two people and wounding three others during the explosion, the police reported.
A report sent to Camp Crame by the Zamboanga City Police Office said the bombing occurred at around 12:25 a.m. at the mosque at Logoy Diutay, Barangay Talon-Talon.
Responding policemen identified the fatalities as Hadji Sattal Bato, 47, married and resident of Isabela City, Basilan, and Rex Habil, 46, married and resident of Lamitan City, Basilan.
Those who were injured were identified as Palson Saji Asgali, 44, Alnizkar Sabbaha, 30, and Jikilani Albani, 60 years old, all of Lamitan City, Basilan.
The report said the five men were among the group of Muslim tablig (religious) who took their rest at the mosque when the streetlight in the area was switched off by suspects.
“Thereafter, the suspect/s hurled a grenade inside the mosque where the group of tablig rested and others had performed their Islamic faith [rituals],” it said.
Responding policemen recovered from the crime scene some grenade parts.
The bombing occurred four days after twin explosions hit the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu wherein, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the number of fatalities has already increased to 21 as of Wednesday.
Lorenzana dismissed any connection between the two bombings, although he noted that the Islamic State is trying to create a wedge between Moro and Christians in Mindanao.
“This will not succeed, as no one is biting,” he said.