MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 12, 20070 – A Muslim lawmaker who was among those injured in a bombing at the Philippine House of Representative late Tuesday died from his wounds.
Rep. Wahab Akbar, of Basilan province, died at the Far Eastern University hospital in Manila, television reports, quoting the politician’s family friend, Sandra Cam, said.
“Sandra Cam told reporters that Rep. Wahab Akbar is dead,” ANC News Channel reported.
Akbar, a former governor of Basilan province, was the second victim killed in the blast. Marcial Talvo, a driver of Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, also died in the bombing.
Ilagan and another lawmaker, Rep. Henry Teves were also wounded in the powerful explosion that occurred at around 8 p.m.
“We condemned in the strongest possible term this criminal and dastardly act,” said House Speaker Jose de Venecia.
At least 8 people were wounded in the bombing that destroyed the south-wing ceiling of the building. It was unclear how the explosion occurred, but witnesses said they smelled gunpowder in the area.
Reports were conflicting and others said the explosion emanated from a car parked at the House of Representatives while some claimed the blast was from a bomb planted inside the building.
Police and military officials said it was early to say if the blast was a bomb attack or whether it had something to do with reports that rightwing soldiers, disgruntled with President Gloria Arroyo’s rule and corruption in government, could be behind the explosion.
Arroyo’s government has been rocked by corruption allegations and the President is hounded with accusations that she cheated in the elections to keep herself and allies in power against the popular Fernando Poe Jr., a movie actor, who died while campaigning.
Poe’s supporters and opposition politicians and civil groups accused Arroyo of electoral fraud after an alleged military wiretapped conversation between her and an election commissioner that linked them to cheating surfaced. (Mindanao Examiner)
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