Philippine policemen remove one of the dead bodies from a passenger bus after a bomb exploded as it traveled along Matalam town. -- PHOTO: AFP
COTABATO (Philippines) - NINE people were killed on Thursday when a bomb exploded aboard a packed passenger bus in the troubled southern Philippines, authorities said.
The military and police said Muslim militants or bandits who are known to operate on the southern island of Mindanao could have been behind the attack, with extortion a possible motive. 'The bus company has long been receiving extortion letters from armed groups operating in the region,' regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang said.
The bomb was apparently hidden inside a bag placed in a luggage compartment at the back of the bus, and exploded just after a group of men who were suspected to have planted it got off the vehicle, Cabangdang said.
Bus driver Arlan Tadeo, 38, who was unharmed in the incident, said there were 60 passengers on board when the explosion occurred. 'I saw in the rear-view mirror shattered blood-stained windows,' he said.
Mr Tadeo said parked the bus at the roadside and looked in the mirror again, to see headless bodies and passengers raising their bloody arms as they screamed for help. He added that police and military forces arrived in about 10 minutes and organised local residents to help take the victims to hospitals.
The bomb went off on a highway just outside Matalam town in a lightly populated farming area, largely planted with sugar cane. 'Eight people died on the spot,' said Matalam police chief Inspector Donald Cabigas, adding another one passed away in the hospital. Nine other people were injured, four of them critically, Insp Cabangbang added. -- AFP
