‘2 bombs planted, only 1 went off’

Maguindanao bus attack

PARANG, Maguindanao, Philippines — Perpetrators of a bus bombing that wounded six persons in this town on Sunday planted two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the vehicle, but only one went off, authorities said yesterday.

In separate statements issued yesterday, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region police and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) said there were indications that a group opposing the operation of the Rural Tours buses along the Dipolog-Pagadian-Cotabato-General Santos route could be responsible for the attack.

Operators and drivers of air-conditioned passenger vans plying the Cotabato-Pagadian route were reportedly affected by the bus company’s operation due to its lower fares.

Lt. Col. Joseph Macatangay, chief of the Parang police, said the IEDs used in the attack were identical with the bombs used by local terrorist groups in recent attacks in Central Mindanao.

The IED was detonated from a distance using a mobile phone.

The Rural Tours started plying the highways connecting the cities of Dipolog, Pagadian, Cotabato and General Santos last month.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, chief of the Army’s 6th ID, said a secondary explosive was found under a seat.

The IED that went off was planted at the rearmost portion of the bus.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) condemned the attack.

The LTFRB said footage taken by a surveillance camera showed a man getting off the bus a few minutes before the explosion.

It urged bus operators to tighten their security to prevent terrorists from carrying out attacks.