Attacks will not affect talks with Moros: Official<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): Bomb attacks by Moro rebels on Christian targets
\nin the southern Philippines will \"have no effect\" on the
\nPhilippine government's peace negotiations with the main Moslem
\ninsurgent group, an official said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Those bombings have no effect on our peace talks with the
\nMoro National Liberation Front (MNLF),\" said chief government
\nnegotiator Manuel Yan in a DZXL radio interview.<\/p>\n
Three bombs targeting Catholic churches injured three people
\non Sunday and two were found at a public market yesterday in
\nZamboanga city, a week after peace talks between Manila and the
\nMNLF there ended in deadlock.<\/p>\n
\"It (bombings) has no relation to the peace talks but I know
\nthat (people) from Zamboanga city and the province of Zamboanga
\ndel Sur do not wish to be a part of the area of autonomy,\" under
\nthe Moslems, Yan said.<\/p>\n
Zamboanga city and the province of Zamboanga del Sur were
\namong the majority of the 14 provinces and nine cities whose
\nresidents are against proposals to be included in a proposed
\nMoslem autonomous region demanded by the MNLF.<\/p>\n
President Fidel Ramos has ordered the military and the police
\nto \"pursue\" the suspects, Executive Secretary Ruben Torres told
\nreporters. \"These acts of terrorism cannot be condoned,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, tensions eased in the largely Catholic city of
\nZamboanga later yesterday as residents resumed their daily
\nactivities following the bombings, radio reports said, although
\npolice said they had yet to make any arrests.<\/p>\n
Businesses and schools remained open, although some children
\nwere told by their parents not to go to school for fear of
\nfurther attacks.<\/p>\n
A grenade was thrown at a cathedral in the city before the
\nfirst Sunday mass could take place, while the second bomb, thrown
\nat another church by motorcycle-riding men while mass was going
\non, injured three people. Police later recovered an unexploded
\ngrenade inside the church.<\/p>\n
Early yesterday, police combed the city's main public market
\nafter two grenades were found and disarmed.<\/p>\n
In a radio interview, Zamboanga city police director
\nSuperintendent Demetrio Maylas told DZXL they had the name of a
\nMoslem as a possible suspect behind the bombings but were
\nchecking on his links with Moro rebel groups.<\/p>\n
Police are blaming the Moslem fundamentalist group Abu Sayyaf.
\nObservers said the attacks are attempts to create panic and
\ndivide the Catholic majority and the Moslem minority here.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a powerful homemade bomb exploded in the town
\nsquare of Isabela in Basilan late Sunday.<\/p>\n
Col. Bernardito Baul, spokesman of the military's regional
\ncommand said in a radio interview that there were no injuries
\nsince the plaza was deserted at that hour.<\/p>",
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