Bomb found in southern Philippine city

Police safely defused a powerful bomb that may have been intended to be set off in a Roman Catholic cathedral in a southern Philippine city where suspected Muslim militants killed two people in bombings last week.

About 100 policemen will be deployed this week to bolster the security of Iligan city amid a security scare that has dampened the usually vibrant Christmas holiday season in the industrial hub of more than 300,000 people, Iligan Mayor Lawrence Cruz said.