Blast hits hostel in southern Philippines

Zamboanga (Philippines): The military has said that a powerful explosion destroyed a small lodging house in a southern Philippine province where Al-Qaida-linked militants are active. Troops later found a separate bomb near another hotel.

Basilan province army commander Colonel Alex Macario says the Spasky lodging house "totally collapsed." There were no immediate reports of injuries in the blast late today.

Macario says troops found the second homemade bomb minutes later near the Sofia hotel in Isabela City, the provincial capital.

He says two suspected members of Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf rented a room at Spasky and left immediately after paying. The explosion occurred minutes later.

Intelligence reports say the group is targeting hotels and gasoline stations.