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ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/22 June) – Two people were killed while four others were wounded in Jolo this morning when an explosive meant for fishermen’s use accidentally went off, police said.
Chief Supt. Bienvenido Latag, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) police director, said in a text message that Idsih Hadjula, 35, was fixing the explosive with blasting cup around 10:15 a.m. when it suddenly blew up.
Hadjula and his wife Ruby died on the spot. Four of their neighbors at Zone II of Barangay Tulay were wounded and are now being treated in a local hospital.
Three of the four wounded were identified as Isnani Sandalan, Andong Sandalan and Habier Sulaiman.
Latag said the explosives are to be delivered and sold to the market, wherein the buyers are fishermen engaged in blast fishing.
Blast fishing, though illegal, persists in the province of Sulu and other areas in the region as fishermen find it as the easiest way to catch fish. (MindaNews)