Explosions wound 12 in southern Philippines

Twelve people including two television journalists were wounded Saturday when bombs ripped through a convoy of soldiers and journalists in the southern Philippines, the military said.The attack occurred amid an offensive against a breakaway Muslim rebel group opposed to a peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has killed 57 guerrillas and one soldier, dpa reported. The convoy was en route to a seized rebel camp in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila, when explosions occurred, said Army Major General Romeo Gapuz.The first blast did not hurt anyone, but the reporter and cameraman of a Manila-based television network, four other civilians trailing the convoy and six soldiers were injured in the second blast, Gapuz said. “They are safe now,” Gapuz added, noting that the victims were evacuated by military helicopter.