Bus passenger hurt in roadside blast in North Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato, Philippines – A passenger was slightly hurt when a bus traversing the national highway in Carmen, North Cotabato was hit by a roadside explosion, on Monday morning, police said.

Senior Supt. Cornelio Salinas, North Cotabato police chief, said police have been checking if the explosion, which happened along the highway in Barangay Cadiis in Carmen town at around 6:10 am., was caused by a bomb.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., spokesman of the Philippine National Police, said the explosion hit the passing Rural Transit bus with body number 2930 and plate number KVS-690.

The bus came from Cagayan de Oro and was headed to Tacurong City when the explosion occurred.

Cruz said that police and military forces were still conducting an investigation into the incident.