Cotabato City, Philippines  - A man was killed Monday and 15 more wounded when a homemade bomb exploded in a southern Philippine town, a regional military spokesman said.

Major Randolph Cabangbang said the explosion occurred at dawn at a busy market in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila.

Investigators said the bomb exploded prematurely killing its courier. Police were still determining the motive behind the attack.

The province of Maguindanao was the site of recent fierce clashes between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas. (dpa)