At least 18 hurt in South Cotabato bus explosion

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – At least 18 people were hurt when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off inside a passenger bus headed to General Santos City in South Cotabato, Thursday noon, October 1.

The bus, a unit of the Yellow Bus Line (YBL), came from Koronadal City and made stops in Tupi and Polomolok before heading to General Santos City.

Upon reaching Glaman, the border village of Polomolok with General Santos City, the bomb believed to have been placed in the overhead baggage compartment exploded.

Five children, including a one-week-old infant, were among  those injured and brought to the hospital in General Santos City, some 6 kilometers away from the scene of the explosion. 

Seven of the injured were later admitted to the St Elizabeth Hospital and General Santos City Doctors Hospital while the rest were sent home after treatment of their minor injuries.

Members of the police investigation and bomb unit were immediately sent to the area to investigate the incident.

The explosion occured several weeks after an IED was found inside a YBL bus inside the terminal in General Santos City.

In April, government forces defused an improvised explosive device (IED) planted inside another YBL unit in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat. – Rappler.com