3 killed in Zamboanga bus explosion

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Three people died while another one was wounded in an explosion inside a passenger bus in Zamboanga City late yesterday afternoon, police said today.

It was not immediately clear if the explosion was related to the prolonged hostage crisis in the city, involving a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Zamboanga City police spokesman Ariel Huesca said the explosion occurred around 5:50 p.m. Friday inside a bus while parked at a depot site at the village of labuan - many barangay away from the site of the hostage crisis.

Among those killed in the explosion were bus conductor Meliton Orquijo and bus washers Hudson Guinilac and Allison Saavedra.

Investigations are still going on to shed light on the explosion, Huesca said.