Terrorism in The Philippines - 2008

Two people were killed and up to 21 injured in a bomb attack outside a Philippine Air Force base where US soldiers, training local troops in anti-terrorism warfare, maintain a small camp in Zamboanga City. The blast coincided with sporadic fighting between Muslim rebels and soldiers in nearby Basilan island and the damaged building also houses the headquarters of Zamboanga City Representative Maria Isabelle Climaco. Reports said the bomb, hidden in a bag, was apparently left outside the building where a crowd of passengers, mostly military dependents, were waiting for a C130 transport plane that would take them to Manila. No group claimed responsibility for the attack though military officials are eyeing the possible involvement of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

A bomb exploded on board a Metro Shuttle Bus parked at a terminal while on its way to Davao City from Bansalan, killing 3 people and injuring 24 others. The mobile phone-activated bomb was placed inside a bag and exploded 10 minutes after it reached the Digos City Overland Terminal. Four of the injured victims were taken to the Davao Medical Center in critical condition and a four-year-old boy was among those hit by shrapnel. In response police and military checkpoints were established in and around Davao City.

Armed men stopped a mini-bus and murdered four Christian male passengers execution-style in Lanao del Sur, while a fifth male passenger was unaccounted for, likely abducted. The bus was carrying about 15 people when it was stopped near Malabang, an area under MILF control. Several passengers were robbed however the women were allowed to leave unharmed; four of the five men were dragged into a forest and shot in the head at close range.

A powerful explosion on board a passenger bus kills at least 7 and wounds around 34. Witnesses described the powerful blast nearly tearing off the roof of the bus as it sat in the terminal. Investigators believe a woman left the explosive device on the bus and connect the blast to al-Khobar, an extortionist group that had threatened the bus company the week before the attack and who has carried out similar attacks in the past few years. The group is believed to have loose ties to various insurgent groups, such as Abu Sayyaf.

Suspected Christian vigilantes ambush a group of Muslim picnickers on Sunday, killing five, including a number of children. Mohagher Iqbal, a senior Moro Islamic Liberation Front leader, said the attack occurred at around 5 p.m. in the coastal town of Linamon in Lanao del Norte province and identified the perpetrators as Ilagas. He said the victims came from a picnic at a beach in Linamon and were heading home to Magsaysay town when an unknown number of gunmen attacked the civilians.

Twin blasts, in separate upscale malls in the main financial district in Aguinaldo Street in Iligan City, kill up to 3 people and hospitalize at least forty-five more. Two crude, improvised bombs placed in bags exploded and damaged the Unicity Commercial Center at approximately 1:30 p.m. and the nearby Jerry's Shoppers Plaza around 5 to 20 minutes later. The mall blasts occurred a day before President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had a scheduled visit to the city, her maternal hometown. At least three people were also wounded in the bombings of two budget hotels - the Traveler's Inn and the Caprice Lodge – in Iligan City the month prior.