Wary of recent Bukidnon blast, Cagayan De Oro police secure bus terminal 

Wary of a repeat of the deadly bus bombing in Bukidnon earlier this month, police in Cagayan de Oro City kept tight watch over the integrated bus terminal during the Christmas exodus to the provinces.

 

Several province-bound commuters went to the Agora Integrated Bus Terminal Tuesday night to get a ride home, GMA Northern Mindanao's Francis Damit and Kaye Mercado reported.

 

Police were strict in inspecting the baggage brought by passengers, with Agora police station head Senior Inspector Ernesto Daeng saying they do not want a repeat of the Dec. 9 bombing.

 

"Iwasan natin na mangyari ang bombing incident and other other sa province doon sa Bukidnon. Iwasan nating mangyari dito sa ating area," he said.

 

He was referring to the Dec. 9 bombing where 10 people were killed in Barangay Mus-wan in Maramag town in Bukidnon.

 

The explosion on the bus, which plies the Cagayan de Oro City route, occurred across Central Mindanao University, at a time students are going home.

An initial investigation showed an improvised explosive device went off inside the Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. bus.
 

Despite the police's presence at the Agora terminal, passengers still jostled for position aboard buses, with some having their bags damaged while trying to squeeze into buses.

 

"Nangsumakay ako doon sa bus merong malaking lalaki natapakan niya ako tapos nahila ang aking bag. Ang gulo talaga grabe," said passenger Angel Labores, whose bag strap was damaged. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News