By Romie A. Evangelista and Mar Arguelles

LEGAZPI CITY?NEW People?s Army rebels yesterday apologized to Masbate Gov. Elisa Olga Kho, saying she was not the target of the roadside bomb attack in which she and a bodyguard were wounded Sunday.

Greg Banares, a spokesman for the rebels, said the real target was a vehicle of the Masbate 507th Provincial Police Mobile Group that had passed through Kho?s convoy.

But police disputed the claim, saying no such vehicle was part of the convoy.

Bicol police Chief Supt. Paterno Banggi said police and soldiers were scouring the hinterland villages in the towns of Uson and Dimasalang for Joel Atibago, a former militiaman, and Yabit Yanson, who were believed to have set off two bombs along the national highway on the way to Masbate City.

Banggi said Army soldiers had been deployed to intercept the fleeing rebels, who withdrew toward the villages of San Rafael and Caduluan.

Kho and her convoy were on their way to Masbate City from Cataingan on Sunday when rebels set off two roadside bombs around 11:30 a.m. as the group passed by on the national road in Gahit village, Cataingan town.

Kho had a cut on her left eyebrow caused by broken glass from the windshield of her vehicle. One of her security escorts was also hurt.

In a radio interview, Kho said she was fortunate the bomb went off on the left side of the road. ?If it had gone off in the middle of the road, our car would have exploded,? she said in Filipino.

Kho criticized the rebels, urging them to turn to dialog instead of using violence to achieve their goals.

In a statement issued shortly after the attack, the Kho family?s lawyer said the attack was preceded by an explosion, after which the convoy was peppered with automatic gunfire. Security personnel returned fire and took the governor to safety.

The attack took place after Kho and her husband, Rep. Antonio Kho, hosted a birthday party at their resort in Cataingan.

Also yesterday, the Armed Forces played down an NPA threat to launch attacks during US-Philippine military exercises in three Bicol provinces in April.

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Sadusta, chief of the 9th Infantry Division, said they would be ready to handle any attempts by the communist rebels to disrupt the Balikatan exercises. With Jaime Pilapil