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CNN Sunday Morning

Three Explosions In Southern Philippine City of General Santos

Aired April 21, 2002 - 07:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, there have been three explosions in the southern Philippine city of General Santos today. One of them went off at a busy department store, killing at least seven people. CNN's Maria Ressa joins us now by videophone from Manila with the details - Maria.

MARIA RESSA, CNN MANILA BUREAU CHIEF: Kyra, it's Sunday night here. The explosions went off, as you said, in the afternoon. The first, now, went off at a busy department store. At least 12 people were killed, 42 injured in that one. Minutes later, about a kilometer away, in a residential district, another went off. All of these explosions were actually prefaced by bomb scare messages that went around General Santos City, which is in the southern Philippines. Residents said that they received text messages through the cellular phones, warning of bomb attacks. The police station said also said that they received an anonymous call warning of bomb attacks. It - some of these numbers go from 10 to 18 in terms of that part of the region that there is heightened security in the south now. Canine dogs out in the street to try to make sure that no further explosions are set off.

All of this are happening within the context of the arrival of 3,000 U.S. troops this weekend for more training exercises here in the Philippines in this war against terror - Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Maria Ressa live from Manila there on the videophone. We'll check with you again for the latest on that.

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