A suspected improvised explosive device (IED) exploded inside a bus in Sultan Kudarat on Sunday morning, Nov. 6, leaving several passengers injured.
Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, commander of 6th Infantry Division (6ID), said a passenger bus of Yellow Bus Line (YBL) company was traversing from Kidapawan, North Cotabato to Koronadal City, South Cotabato when an explosion rocked the vehicle as it passed through St. Louis Hospital in Brgy. Isabela, Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat around 11:30 a.m.
Initial report said one passenger was killed while 11 others were injured in the incident, according to Lt. Col. Dennis Almorato, 6ID spokesperson.
The injured victims were brought to St. Louis Hospital for immediate treatment.
“Most likely, while traversing because the start point is in M’lang. If they are going to Marbel (or Koronadal City), probably they will have a stopover in Tacurong,” Galido said.
He said they were already coordinating with the local police to identify the perpetrators behind the IED explosion but he noted that the bus company is the target of an extortion group.
“The YBL has been constantly receiving extortion messages ever since and we have been working with them. Hindi lang matyempuhan kaya siguro nagcounteract (It just so happened that we could not coordinate our operation so maybe the enemies countered),” he said.
Nonetheless, the military commander said that they already have leads as to the identities of the suspects.
“We’re working with the police to do counteraction on possible suspects,” Galido said.
“Hopefully, we can get them soon,” he added.