Global General

Bomb explosion hits S Philippines

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-09 19:55

ZAMBONGA CITY, Philippines - A powerful bomb exploded Sunday afternoon on a highway in the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao but missed its target, a passenger bus loaded with passengers, a police official said.

Police general Felicisimo Khu, regional police director, said the improvised explosive device (IED) that was planted on the roadside by unidentified militant group exploded about 2 pm Sunday in sub-village Malindeg, Datu Paglas town.

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The bomb exploded barely seconds and missed its target after a passenger bus packed with passengers traversed the road, Khu said.

"The bus could be the target of the road side attack as it was exploded on time while the bus was traversing the area of the highway," said Khu, adding based on the investigation provided by the chief of police in Carmen town where the bus was intercepted, the driver disclosed they were traveling from Tacurong City for Cagayan de Oro City and while traversing along Tacurong City- Kabacan National Highway.

The driver, identified as Severino Bote Jr. and his helper, Kemmrex dela Pena, claimed they saw the IED exploded about 20 to 30 meters from their rear as they traversed the road.

Khu said this prompted the driver to step on the accelerator and did not stop the bus disregarding three men and a woman a few hundred meters away trying to stop the bus to take a ride.

No one was reported injured on board the bus.

Police and military believed that the failed attack could be related to the previous bombing attacks on passenger buses that left dozens of passengers injured and part of the extortion activity of the militants operating in central Mindanao region.