Bomb explosion at a Catholic mass in Philippine left several killed and wounded  

RELIGIONS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – A powerful explosion believed caused by a bomb ripped through a Catholic Mass and killed at least four people and wounded dozens of others Sunday in a predominantly Muslim city in the southern Philippines.

AP reported the morning Mass was underway in a gymnasium at the state-run Mindanao State University in Marawi City when the explosion happened, causing panic among dozens of students and teachers and leaving the victims bloodied and sprawled on the ground

At least two of the wounded were fighting for their lives.

Regional military commander Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray III said at least four people were killed by the explosion, including three women, and 50 others were brought to two hospitals for treatment of mostly minor injuries.

The deadly blast set off a security alarm beyond Marawi city as the Christmas season ushered in a period of travel, shopping sprees and traffic jams across the country.

Presidential adviser Carlito Galvez, a former military chief of staff who now oversees government efforts to end Muslim and communist insurgencies, strongly condemned what he called a bombing incident.

The southern Philippines is the homeland of minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation and the scene of decades-old separatist rebellion.

The largest armed insurgent group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, signed a 2014 peace deal with the government, considerably easing decades of fighting.

But a number of smaller armed groups rejected the peace pact and press on with bombings and other attacks while evading government offensives.