COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / 18 Sept) – A homemade bomb exploded Tuesday inside a commuter, the second in three days in the restive region of the southern Philippines, officials said.
Officials said the blast occurred at around noontime in South Cotabato’s Marbel town, but there were no reports of injuries or casualties, said Maj. Gen. Ernesto Boac, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division.
“A cell phone was used to detonate the bomb left inside the bus. There were no reports of casualties,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.
The bomb was detonated shortly after passengers disembarked at a bus depot.
No individual of group claimed responsibility for the blast and police and military authorities are still investigating the motives of the attack.
Moro rebels and communist insurgents, blamed for previous attacks, are actively operating in the province.
On Saturday, a bomb planted underneath a Coca-Cola delivery truck also exploded in nearby Cotabato City and wounding one person. No group owned up to the attack.
Last week, Australia banned its citizens from traveling to southern Philippines, particularly in Zamboanga peninsula in Mindanao island, because of a possible terror attacks.
“We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in the Philippines because of the high threat of terrorist attack. We continue to receive credible reports that terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets, including places frequented by foreigners,” the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warned.
Security forces were tracking down Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya militants, including Dulmatin and Umar Patek, both tagged by Jakarta as behind the Bali bombings; and Zulkifli bin Hir, who are hiding in the southern Philippines. (Juan Magtanggol)
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