Bomb rips through bus

2008-07-24 14:02

Oliver Teves A

Manila - A homemade bomb ripped through a passenger bus in the southern Philippines on Thursday, wounding 27 people, police said.

The military initially reported three people were killed, but police and army officials later corrected themselves and said there were no deaths.

The bus had stopped at a Digos city terminal on the way to the regional centre of Davao. Moments after the driver returned and started the engine, the blast shattered the windows and some of the seats, said provincial police Chief Cesario Darantinao.

Police recovered broken nails used as shrapnel, he said.

The owner of the bus company, who is also the mayor of a nearby town, had complained of extortion demands purportedly from communist rebels, Darantinao said.

But Oyo Uy, son of the mayor and president of the bus company, Metro Shuttle, said no extortion attempt had come from any group.

Among the 27 injured, four were in serious condition, Darantinao said.

Earlier in the week, regional military spokesperson Major Armand Rico said security forces foiled a terrorist bomb attack in Davao city when they intercepted a motorcycle rigged with explosives. The driver escaped, he said.

Apart from Muslim militants, communist rebels and extortion gangs operate in the area.

The notorious extortion syndicate Al Khobar, which authorities say has ties to Muslim militants, has been terrorising bus companies and been blamed for planting several bus bombs in the region.

- SAPA