One dead in Philippines bomb blast

At least one person was killed and six others injured when an improvised bomb exploded in front of a gun store in the southern Philippines, officials said today.

No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack in southern Cotabato city, but separatist rebels and criminal gangs operate in the predominantly Muslim region.

Police Superintendent Roberto Badian said the bomb was placed inside a motorcycle in front of the store and remotely detonated using a mobile phone.

A man walking nearby was killed while glass splinters from the shattered window hit six other people up to 33ft away.

Cotabato city administrator Cynthia Guiani Sayadi called the bombing barbaric and un-Islamic, noting that it occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.