Witnesses tag woman in Davao Sur bus blast

DAVAO CITY – Authorities are looking for a certain Zeny believed behind the blast that ripped through a passenger bus in Digos City, Davao del Sur last Thursday, killing a 19-year-old nursing coed and wounding 34 others, including a policeman.

Chief Superintendent Andres Caro II, Southern Mindanao police director, said several witnesses saw the woman acting suspiciously when she boarded the Metro Shuttle bus at the Estrada public market, just two kilometers away from the terminal where the bomb went off.

Witnesses said the woman left a bag that contained the improvised explosive – a water bottle with chemicals and broken nails – triggered via a cellular phone.

One of the witnesses reportedly asked the woman if her bag contained a bomb, and she said no.

But the woman immediately alighted from the bus, saying she would just buy something from one of the vendors at the terminal.

Caro said the woman could be a member of the Al-Khobar extortion group that has been victimizing bus firms and other businesses in Southern and Central Mindanao.

Rey Uy, owner of Metro Shuttle bus company and mayor of Tagum City, Davao del Norte, earlier said that they had received extortion letters demanding up to P500,000.

Despite last Thursday’s bombing, Uy said they would still not give in to the extortionists’ demands, adding that it would be unfair for them to feed on what others have earned through hard work.

Caro said an artist has made a sketch of Zeny based on the descriptions of the witnesses.

Caro said a task force is investigating the bombing and will file charges against its perpetrators within the week.