Authorities released on Saturday photos of two alleged suspects in the New Year's Eve explosion at a shopping mall in Cotabato City.

The Philippine National Police's regional office issued pictures of two men suspected to have conducted the bombing at the South Seas Mall in Cotobato City last December 31, 2018.

"The photos were extracted from the CCTv footages inside and outside the mall and along the road," the police report said.

According to the military, the one in the photo wearing a blue polo shirt and carrying a backpack is a trained terrorist bomber of slain terror leader Abdulbasit Usman. In a separate photo, an elderly man was allegedly the look out.

Police are still looking for seven more suspects.

The bombing left two persons dead and 34 others injured in front of South Seas Mall at around 1:49 in the afternoon.

The bomb, made of plastic container with improvised electric blasting cap, 9-volt battery and concrete nails attached to a cellphone with SIM card, was placed at the sidewalk vendors near the entrance.

Police are looking into retaliation by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters,political rivalry and extortion as possible motives in the incident. Ella Dionisio/DMS