Two persons, including a soldier, were wounded while a town mayor emerged unscathed in a roadside bombing on Saturday in the municipality of Tuburan, Basilan province.

Tuburan Mayor Durie Kallahal, who was proceeding to the site of an earlier explosion at Barangay Calut with some Army soldiers, escaped harm as he disembarked from his vehicle before it came into contact with an improvised explosive device, said Colonel Cirilo Donato, commander of the Army’s 104 th Infantry Battalion.

His driver and a soldier were injured, said Senior Insp. Said Omar Ismael, Tuburan police chief. The incident happened around 2:45 pm.

Ismael said the injured were Corporal.Christian Ibarreta of the Army’s 3 rd Scout Ranger Battalion and Misuari Jamiri, driver of Kallahal.

Jamiri was sent by speed boat from Basilan to Zamboanga City for medical treatment.

Col. Cirilo Donato, Army’s 104 th Infantry Brigade commander, said Kallahal left before his vehicle tripped on an improvised explosive device.

The military and police suspect the Abu Sayyaf behind the bombing since Kallahal is known opponent of the group. DMS