MANILA, Philippines?Shortly before the nation greeted the New Year, a grenade exploded near the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu, wounding a soldier keeping watch of the security in the area, the military said Friday.

Unidentified men detonated a grenade at the People's Commercial on Ariolas Street corner Boyon Street in Barangay Walled City in Jolo at about 11:20 p.m. on New Year's Eve, AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner told reporters.

Marine Cpl. Dennis Hernandez, who was on duty at the Jolo Cathedral some 30 meters away from the explosion, was hit by shrapnel in the left thigh, said Brawner.

Hernandez was immediately brought to the military's trauma center for treatment, he added.

The military deployed troops at the cathedral after local terrorists, believed to be the dreaded Abu Sayyaf group, bombed the church on Oct. 27. No one was hurt in the incident.

The perpetrators of the New Year's Eve explosion could be the same group, Brawner told the Inquirer in a text message.

"There are no definite suspects yet but the military and the police are now investigating and have beefed up security in the area," he added.