7 hurt in explosion in front of GenSan city hall building

City Hall of General Santos

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Seven people were injured when a suspected improvised bomb exploded at a plaza located infront of the main city hall building here on Tuesday night.

Senior Supt. Froilan Quidilla, city police director, said the explosion happened at around 7:28 p.m. near the monument of national hero Jose Rizal at the Plaza Heneral Santos and the city hall complex’s flag pole.

He said seven persons sustained various shrapnel injuries and were immediately rushed to various local hospitals.

Nelson Samilin, head of the local Red Cross rescue team, said they were on standby at their office located at the back of the city hall building when they heard a loud explosion.

He said they immediately rushed to the scene and found several persons who were hit by shrapnels believed coming from the explosive.

“We assisted two persons who sustained minor injuries and helped bring two others to the hospital,” he said in a radio interview.

Quidilla said investigators are currently scouring the scene of the explosion to determine the type of explosive that was used in the attack, they have cordoned the entire city hall complex

“We’re still investigating the type of explosive that was used through our EOD (explosives ordnance disposal) team,” he said.

The police official said they immediately raised the security alert in the entire city as a result of the explosion, which happened three days after the culmination of the city’s 16th Tuna Festival.