Five people were killed and five injured in a bomb attack at a New Year’s Eve party in the southern Philippines, police said Wednesday.
The blast occurred Tuesday night as the victims gathered outside a house for a New Year’s party in Sumisip town in Basilan province, 900 km south of Manila.
Authorities were still determining the type of explosive used and the motive for the attack, said Senior Superintendent Maria Dapilloza, the provincial police director.
Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels operate in the province and have been blamed for past bombings. Family feuds, political rivalry and land disputes have also triggered violence in the area.