Report: Three killed, one hurt in bus explosion in Zamboanga

[Updated 7:58 p.m.] At least three people were reported killed while one was injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) blasted a passenger bus in Zamboanga City Friday evening.

Chief Insp. Ariel Huesca, Zamboanga peninsula regional police spokesman, said the IED exploded at a "Biel Transit" bus number 2871 with a plate number JAW 651.

The bus was parked at the bus storage in Barangay Labuan, a coastal village 35 kilometers from the city proper.

The casualties are:

• Meliton Orquijo, bus conductor
• Hudson Guinilac, bus washer
• Allison Saavedra, bus washer

State-run Philippine Information Agency said the "Biel Transit" exploded before 6 p.m. at Barangay Labuan, a coastal village 35 km from the city proper.

The PIA report said the bus was parked near other buses when it exploded, killing the mechanic and the conductor on the spot and injuring the bus driver.

It was not immediately clear if the explosion was related to the clashes between government troops and followers of Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari. The fighting has raged for 12 days.

However, the PIA report noted Labuan village is 12 km from the San Ramon Penal Farm, where arrested and surrendered MNLF fighters were detained.

Earlier, the Zamboanga City government said on its Twitter account that police confirmed an explosion aboard a bus but did not immediately give other details.

A separate report by radio dzBB's Benjie Liwanag Jr. said the city's bomb squad rushed to the site to investigate.

Earlier, the military had said Misuari's followers had ben trying to get out of the city, some leaving behind their weapons and dressing up as civilians. — VC, GMA News