Bus bomb scare prompts EDSA-Cubao closure, causes heavy traffic

A portion of EDSA in Cubao, Quezon City was temporarily closed late Sunday after a passenger saw what he though a bomb inside a bus.

An unidentified passenger of an abandoned bag at the rear portion of a Magicline Express unit along the northbound lane of EDSA-Main Avenue in Cubao district at around 7 p.m.

The bus' conductor, Jon Jon de Leon, immediately opened the bag and saw three items that looked like cans of sardines covered with packing tape.

“Pormang bomba eh dahil tatlong naka-balot na packing tape na parang lata ng sardinas. Mediyo kinabahan ako kasi pormang bomba,” de Leon said.

Responding policemen immediately cordoned off the area, preventing vehicles from entering Cubao area and also suspended the operations of the Metro Rail Transit.

After more than three hours of carefully inspecting the contents of the bag, police bomb disposal teams discovered that the packed items were not bombs.

"Bomb scare lang kasi wala tayong nakitang positive indications na talagang may pampasabog talaga," Superintendent Roland Balasbas, commander of Station 7 of the Quezon City Police District.

The areas was opened to vehicles at past 10 p.m.

The incident caused heavy traffic from Cubao to Ortigas Avenue in Mandaluyong City.

De Leon said investigations are ongoing to identify the persons who left the bag.

He said that based on the testimony of some passengers, three men abandoned the bag at the rear portion of the bus.

The three men got on the bus in Baclaran, Parañaque City and alighted at the Ortigas flyover area.

"Magba-back tracking [kami] kung saan galing ang bus, saan bumaba ang mga tao," De Leon said. —report from Isay Reyes/ALG, GMA News