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7 hurt in Cotabato bus blast —police


Seven people, including an infant, were hurt following an explosion inside a passenger bus in Aleosan town in Cotabato province on Tuesday morning, police said.

The youngest victim was a five-month-old baby, according to  Police Chief Master Sergeant Randy Hampac, spokesperson for Aleosan Police, in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

All the victims were rushed to various hospitals, Hampac said.

“Meron pong loud explosion na nangyari kaninang umaga 8:15 a.m. Involved dito ‘yung isang bus, Mindanao Star bus, route from Davao to Cotabato City,” he said.

(There was a loud explosion earlier at 8 a.m. A bus from Mindanao Star with route from Davao to Cotabato City was involved.)

"Plainly terroristic act itong pangyayari [this is a plainly terroristic act]," Hampac said.

According to 6th Infantry Division spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Baldomar, 5-year-old Benjamin Solaiman is in critical condition.

He said most of the victims are relatives.

Baldomar identified the victims as the following:

1. Benjamin Solaiman - 5 years old (critical)

2. Haron Solaiman - 24 years old

3. Masid Piang - 25 years old

4. Yushira Solaiman - 3 years old

5. Rodolfo Castillo - 67 years old

6. Haira Solaiman - 5 months old

7. Lester Bautista Alcare 17 years old

He said no group has claimed responsibility for the “attack.”
“Sa ngayon wala pang grupong nagki-claim ng responsibility sa said na ipalagay nating attack (For now, there is no group claiming responsibility for the, let’s assume, attack),” he said.

The incident happened past 8 a.m. along the national highway in Barangay San Mateo. According to Hampac, the place where the explosion occurred is a busy area.

He said the explosion started at the rear part of the passenger bus.

Personnel Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) are conducting ocular inspection in the area, Hampac said.

The type of explosive used has yet to be determined.

There was also a CCTV camera installed in the bus, which the police may use in the investigation, according to Hampac.

Citing initial investigation, the Police Region Office 12 said an unidentified suspect, carrying a baggage, boarded the bus in Kabacan, Cotabato.

The suspect disembarked and left baggage when the bus reached Pikit town, the PRO 12 added. A still unidentified type of improvised explosive device (IED) was then detonated.

The wounded victims were immediately brought to Aleosan District Hospital and Cotabato Regional Medical Center for immediate medical assistance.

To focus on the probe into the “heinous terrorist attack to a civilian target,” the PRO12 created a special investigation tasked group led by Police Colonel Michael Lebanan.

PRO12 director Police Brigadier Alexander Tagum denounced the attack.

“The Police Regional Office 12 strongly condemns the cowardly terrorist attack against the innocent commuters of Mindanao Star bus,” he said in statement.        

“We hope for the fast recovery of the injured and be assured that those behind the bombing will face the full force of the law,” he added.  — with Joviland Rita/KBK/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: Cotabato, news
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