5-year-old victim in Cotabato bus explosion dies —military

The five-year-old boy who was critically injured in the explosion inside a passenger bus in Aleosan, Cotabato has passed away, the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division (ID) said on Tuesday.

“Namatay na ang five years na biktima (The five-year-old victim has died),” 6th ID spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Baldomar said.

Earlier, Baldomar identified five-year-old Benjamin Solaiman as one of the seven people injured in the explosion.

Around 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, an explosion occurred inside a bus of Mindanao Star with route from Davao to Cotabato City.

Aside from Benjamin, the other injured victims earlier identified were:

1. Haron Solaiman - 24 years old
2. Masid Piang - 25 years old
3. Yushira Solaiman - 3 years old
4. Rodolfo Castillo - 67 years old
5. Haira Solaiman - 5 months old
6. Lester Bautista Alcare - 17 years old

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 his 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 task group led by Police Colonel Michael Lebanan. —KG, GMA News