At least five people, including paramilitary troopers and two civilians, were injured after an explosion occurred along a highway in Maguindanao province before dawn Thursday.
Maguindanao police chief Senior Superintendent Marcelo Pintac said the incident occurred at 5:45 a.m., just as a passenger bus bearing some of the victims passed through Tayaga village in Pandag town.
"Hindi pa nalalaman [kun] ano [ang] sumabog. Pagsabog noon, dumadaan ang bus na Grand passenger bus galing Tacurong City papunta Davao City. Ito [ay] nakasugat ng limang tao, tatlong CAFGU at dalawang civilians. Nasa hospital silang lahat," Pintac said in an interview on dzBB radio.
Pintac did not immediately identify the victims.
He said they are still determining if the perpetrators were targeting the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit or the bus, as the site of the explosion was near a CAFGU detachment.
Pintac said police investigators had gone to the hospital where the victims were brought, to get more leads on the case.
"Fortunately lahat sila in stable condition (Fortunately the injured are now in stable condition)," he said.
Maguindanao is an area where the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is known to operate. Also, the province is home to a number of armed groups, including those involved in extortion as well as those believed maintained by local politicians. — RSJ
