Militants bomb transmission tower in southern Philippines: police

COTABATO CITY, the Philippines, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Separatist Muslim guerillas were suspected to be behind Wednesday's bombing of a state-owned electrical tower in southern Philippines, police said.

Philipine police officials blamed rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for bombing the transmission towers of National Grid Corporation (NGC) located in the town of Balo-i, Lanao del Norte province.

No one was hurt or killed by the bombing. But the strong explosion disrupted power supply and resulted in blackout in Lanao and nearby provinces, according to Emmanuel Abellanosa, NGC's vice president for operation.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. But Philippine military officials blamed rouge Muslim rebels for bombing telecommunications towers in southern Philippines last month.

Philippine military and police units deployed troops in Balo-i to secure NGC's facilities.