By Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia correspondent

KUALA LUMPUR , December 25 (IslamOnline) – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) denied quick accusations of a bomb blast Tuesday, December 24, in southern Philippines killing at least 13 people.

The incident killed the Muslim Mayor Saudi Ampatuan of Datu Piang town happened just three days after his younger brother Hofer was killed in a shootout during a bikini competition at a hotel in Cotabato, Inq7 news agency reported Wednesday, December 25.

Saudi Ampatuan died of injuries to his head and abdomen at the Notre Dame Hospital .

Three of the other fatalities were identified as Datu Piang municipal treasurer Nasut Macapendeg, councilor Rodolfo Wahab and a certain Imampaden Mastura Ismael, all Muslims.

The home made bomb that exploded in the compound of the mayor, featured a timing device and two mortar shells. The military was quick to blame the attack on the MILF, alleged to be against the mayor.

MILF Denial

However, the MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu denied any involvement, saying that the Datu Piang mayor had many personal and political enemies.

“There is no reason for us to do that because the mayor was not our enemy,” Kabalu said. “In fact, many of those injured are my relatives.”

The Muslim group forged a ceasefire with the government last year to pave the way for peace talks. Sporadic clashes with the government continue despite the truce.

Peaceful Christmas in Indonesia

Meanwhile, in Indonesia there was a relative calm with the Christmas festivities observed by the Christian community under heavy police surveillance.

More than 200,000 police personnel were deployed for the night of the holy feast and prayers by Indonesian Christians.

Paramilitary and other civilian groups affiliated to Islamic religious, social and political organizations joined the police and military personnel to provide security on Christmas and New Year’s Eve across the country.

The main idea was to ensure that there are no disruptions in the celebrations and to permeate the spirit of friendship and peace among the Indonesian varied ethnic community.

The police force and thousands of military troops guarded churches, shopping and entertainment centers, and other public facilities during Christmas and would do the same for the New Year.

Ansor, the youth wing of the nation’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said on Monday, December 23, that more than 5,000 members from its paramilitary group Banser would help local security forces guard churches in East Java , the Jakarta Post reported Tuesday.

The Security Command (Kokam) paramilitary wing of the nation’s second biggest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah also deployed around 400 members to take part in the joint security across East Java .

In the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar , more than 750 mosque youth group members joined at least 2,412 police personnel in securing churches in the city, the site of bomb blasts that killed three people on December 5, the Jakarta Post added.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Pecalang (Balinese traditional civilian guards) will join 4,474 police and military personnel on the resort island to maintain security.

Members of the joint security forces would also be stationed in at least 45 tourism sites, five harbors, 16 markets and 60 mosques throughout the province.

Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation on earth with a population of 212 million, 85 to 90 percent of which are of Islamic faith.