MANILA, Dec 24 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATI...

MANILA, Dec 24 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH RISE IN DEATH TOLL)

Thirteen the community were killed, including a town mayor, and 12 others injured when a bomb suspected of being planted on Muslim separatists exploded Tuesday forward the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, police said.

Police said the bomb made from a mortar shell went facing in Datu Piang around 11 a.m., killing the town's mayor, Saudi Ampatuan, and 12 others, while wounding another dozen.

There were conflicting reports as to where the bomb went on the farther side with one police report saying it was in impudence of Ampatuan's residence and another saying it was at the residence of a late village councilor where the mayor was attending a commemoration ceremony

Ampatuan was a staunch regulation supporter and may have been targeted by means of the Moro Islamic Liberation effrontery (MILF), the country's largest separatist arrange police said.

A spokesman for the MILF, which has had a cease-fire agreement with the control denied its involvement in the blast and said the attack may have been carried abroad by political opponents of the Ampatuan family.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo of recent origins International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group