At least 9 dead after Philippines bus explosion

[News_Editor]

At least 9 dead after Philippines bus explosion

2010-10-21 20:45:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

COTABATO, PHILIPPINES (BNO NEWS) -- At least nine people were killed and nine others were injured after an explosion on Thursday blasted a passenger bus with over 60 people aboard in the southern region of the Philippines, police and military officials said.

The passenger bus had just made a stop-over in Matalam, in North Cotabato province, and was traveling from its terminal in Cagayan de Oro City to Tacurong City.

Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, director of the North Cotabato Police, confirmed the blast and said authorities suspect an improvised explosive device (IED) was left behind by a person who boarded the bus in Kabacan town but left the bus minutes before the explosion, at 10.40 a.m. local time.

An initial investigation revealed that the explosion started at the baggage compartment located at the rear portion of the bus, where most of the victims were seated.

Bandit groups in the region have resorted to bombing and even harming bus company employers when bus firms refuse to give in to their demands.

Salinas said extortion is believed to be the motive behind the bombing of the Rural Transit bus (AVR-480), but provided few details.

"Based on our reports from the field, eight people died on the spot while nine other passengers were injured. The injured victims were taken to the Matalam District Hospital," Salinas said, but another victim later died at the hospital, raising the death toll to nine.

However, Major General Anthony Alcantara, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, said two people reportedly died while undergoing treatment at a hospital, which would bring the number of fatalities to 10. Other authorities did not immediately confirm this.

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