Philippines bomb kills four

Police have stepped up checks on traffic in Mindanao

At least four people have been killed and dozens injured when a series of bombs exploded in the southern Philippines.

Four bombs exploded within minutes of each other around lunchtime in the largely Christian city of General Santos in Mindanao.

We have given out orders to our commanders to attack enemy targets at their discretion

MILF Vice Chairman Murad Ibrahim

"Our confirmed dead is four and about 30 wounded," Mayor Adelbert Antonino said.

The mayor said that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) may have been responsible for the blasts.

The explosions come as another Muslim group - Abu Sayyaf - continue to hold a group of foreign and Filipino hostages on the nearby island of Jolo.

Suspicion

The MILF is the largest Muslim group fighting for self-rule in the south of the largely Catholic Philippines.

Most of the five million Muslims among the Philippines' 74 million population live in Mindanao.

"The suspicion is that it was the work of the MILF," said Mary Lou Gerturbos, Red Cross administrator in General Santos.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu earlier said he did not know if the explosions were linked to the group but said local MILF commanders may have ordered the attacks in response to directives from the rebel leadership to prepare for hostilities.

Earlier on Wednesday, MILF guerrillas launched a grenade attack earlier on an airport at Cotabato city, around 200km (125 miles) northwest of General Santos.

Businesses shut down in General Santos because of the blasts and security forces were on alert, although the area was reported quiet, officials said.

Halt to dialogue

Ongoing peace talks between the Philippines Government and the MILF, which began earlier this year, were called off last Friday after the Philippines military launched air and ground attacks on about 700 Muslim guerrillas.

The men were reportedly blocking a road on the western boundary of Camp Abubakar, the MILF headquarters in Maguindanao, and extorting money from motorists.

The MILF has since launched a series of attacks on the Philippines army around its main stronghold in Maguindanao, 880km (550 miles) south of Manila.

"We have given out orders to our commanders to attack enemy targets at their discretion," said MILF Vice Chairman Murad Ibrahim.

"If they feel there is a need to attack ... it's up to them."

On Wednesday, the rebels fired rockets and mortars at the army's Camp Tiangco and nearby Awang airport in Sinsuat, damaging the barracks and parts of the runway.

Army sources said that there had also been exchanges of fire in Parang, and Carmen, North Cotabato, killing two soldiers and wounding two others.

MILF fighters have taken around 300 civilians hostage, after seizing two buses and occupying a compound belonging to Dole Philippines.