t least six people were killed and 56 others wounded after four bomb blasts rocked the southern island of Mindanao , the second largest in the Philippines , on July 6 and 7.

The deadliest of the four explosions occurred at around 7am on July 7 near the Mount Carmel Church in Jolo town, Sulu province in the southwest, killing six people and injuring 40 others, the Inquirer news network said. Three policemen were among the wounded, Superintendent Jose Bayani Gucela, spokesman of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao was quoted as saying.

An initial investigation revealed that the explosive was placed inside a motorcycle, which was parked about 100 metres away from the church. Two other similar bombs, hidden in cartons, were recovered some 100 metres from the church.

The explosions came after an improvised bomb went off outside a church in Cotabato City on July 5, leaving five people dead and at least 35 others wounded.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has placed its forces in Mindanao on full alert, the highest alert level, while the rest of the country was placed on the second-highest alert level.

No organisation has yet claimed responsibility for the bombs, but the Abu Sayyaf has been implicated in previous bombings in the country, and, most recently, the kidnappings of three Red Cross workers on the island in January./.