ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/25 January) – President Benigno S. Aquino III visited Sunday different hospitals in the city where some victims of Friday’s bomb explosion were confined.
Two persons were killed and 52 others were wounded when a bomb exploded around 3:15 p.m. Friday inside a car in Barangay Guiwan, this city.
The car was parked in front of a disco pub located across the bus terminal.
Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff General Gregorio Catapang, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and other cabinet members accompanied the president.
Aquino and his party landed at the Edwin Andrews Air Base at around 10:20 a.m. Sunday. He immediately held a closed-door meeting with top military, police and local government officials.
After the closed-door meeting, Aquino proceeded to the blast site accompanied by Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, city police director Senior Supt. Angelito Casimiro and other local officials.
From the blast site, the president visited the victims in the hospitals as well as the wake of Reynaldo Tan and Dennis Valiente, who were killed in the blast.
Valiente’s brother is a member of the Presidential Security Group.
Alicia Valiente, the mother of Dennis, said the President gave them financial assistance.
Dr. Rodelin Agbulos, City Health Officer, said that 10 of the 52 wounded victims were admitted in the different hospitals.
The President also visited the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center, where 56 suspected Abu Sayyaf members were detained. (MindaNews)
