Published: July 04, 2009 10:30 pm      

Bomb blast near south Philippine cathedral kills 1

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — An army general says suspected Muslim guerrillas have detonated a bomb near a Roman Catholic cathedral in the southern Philippines killing at least 1 person and wounding several others.

Maj. Gen. Alfredo Cayton says the bomb exploded Sunday outside the cathedral as churchgoers congregated in Cotabato city. One passer-by died instantly.

Cotabato city Mayor Muslimin Sema says up to 26 others were wounded, some of them seriously.

The wounded included army troops in a van who were passing by at the time of the explosion.

Cayton says Muslim rebels belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were likely behind the blast.