Philippines bomb kills five, 34 wounded

Sun Jul 5 2009

Five people were killed and at least 34 wounded in a suspected Muslim rebel bomb attack outside a Catholic church in the strife-torn southern Philippines Sunday, officials said.

A lone suspect left a home-made bomb outside the Immaculate Conception cathedral in Cotabato city which exploded just as the congregation was leaving early morning mass, officials said.

The church was not heavily damaged but a restaurant across the street appeared to have absorbed much of the impact, witnesses said. Ordnance experts searched for clues among blood-spattered debris on the road outside the church.

Police said four people, including two soldiers, were killed at the scene, while another died of his injuries in hospital.

Many of the wounded were women and children, according to Froi Cordero, a priest who helped bring the casualties to hospital...

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