Philippine Police on High Alert Following Explosions on Mindanao Island

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Philippine National Police are on high alert across the country after a wave of explosions rocked the island of Mindanao in the southern part of the country in recent days, Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said on Friday.

"After the continuous bombings in the said areas, the PNP raised the alert status nationwide to full alert so these won't happen again," Fajardo told reporters, as quoted by the ABS-CBN broadcaster.

The police is monitoring the operation of terminals and public transport, as well as providing marshals to protect buses and inspect the citizens’ luggage, the official said, adding that the police have also deployed bomb-sniffling dogs.

Last week, improvised explosive devices were detonated in the cities of Koronadal and Tacurong, injuring at least five people. On Monday, two explosions occurred in the city of Isabela, the de facto capital of the Basilan province, including at a bus station. Three people were injured.