Extortionists eyed in bus bombing in Sultan Kudarat

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  – Authorities are certain that extortionists preying on transport firms are behind last Saturday’s bombing of a bus in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat that left six people wounded.

Col. Prudencio Asto, public affairs chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said their intelligence units are now helping police investigators validate reports that members of an extortion ring pulled off the bombing of a Husky Bus unit to force its operator to shell out “protection money” on a regular basis.

The management of Husky Bus had reportedly received extortion letters prior to the attack.

Superintendent Roel Sermese, Isulan police chief, said the six victims – Hapinat Hilmor Bornales, Delfin Jonathan Salmoren, Dolfo Kevin Venus, Catequista Rachel Mayornejo, bus driver Salutan Robenson Matias and conductor Sangki Emil Fantilaga – are confined in a local hospital due to shrapnel wounds. 

Police said the improvised explosive was planted in the undercarriage luggage compartment of the bus and it was set it off as the vehicle, bound for General Santos City, was about to enter the Isulan town proper from Maguindanao.

The explosion also damaged a unit of the Yellow Bus Co. which was trailing behind the bombed bus.

Asto said Army units have fielded uniformed men in public transport terminals to help secure commuters and bus personnel from further attacks.

Sermese said more policemen have also been deployed in strategic areas in Isulan town to prevent a repeat of the bombing.

The attack was the third in Sultan Kudarat in seven days.

An improvised bomb exploded five days earlier at the commercial district of Tacurong City, only about 10 kilometers southeast of Isulan, causing injuries to three residents.– With Ramil Bajo