NEWSFLASH

GENERAL SANTOS GAS DEPOT BOMBED

General Santos City, May 27, 2000 Gunmen suspected to be Muslim rebels attacked the Petron Corp. petroleum depot with a rocket-propelled grenade shortly after midnight yesterday.

The attackers were believed to belong to the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Central Mindanao military spokesman Noel Detoyato said.

Detoyato said the storage tank was riddled with holes from shrapnel.

"We do not have any suspects yet but we have stepped up security in all vital government installations in General Santos City and other populated areas nearby," Detoyato said.

He said special forces soldiers had been deployed around the Petron depot.

Superintendent Conrado Laza, city police director, said shrapnel recovered from the scene indicated that an RPG or an M-203 rifle grenade was used.

Laza said police had intercepted an alleged plot by Muslim rebels that they would blow up oil depots and vital installations shortly after a rash of bombings early this month.

Yesterday's explosion was the sixth in this city since May 3. At least three people have died while 70 others had been hurt in the incidents.