A police official on Tuesday said the plaza bombing in the south Philippine city of Zamboanga, in which at least 20 people were injured, could have been masterminded by a military intelligence agent, local TV network ABS-CBN News reported.



Senior Superintendent Manuel Barcena, Zamboanga City police chief, declined to name the agent but said the identity of the agent was revealed to them by one of three suspects arrested for the bombing.



"One of the suspects said [the military agent] was the one who provided the bomb," Barcena told ABS-CBN. He said the suspect is a known "murderer" in Zamboanga City.



Barcena said the Zamboanga City Police Office is now coordinating with the military to confirm the agent's involvement in the bombing.



The bombing took place at a plaza in Zamboango on Aug. 21, more than 24 hours after Philippine President Arroyo visited the city for a major command conference with military commanders in the region. At least 20 people were injured in the bombing but no one was killed.



Source: Xinhua