3 killed in Zamboanga bus blast

MANILA, Philippines–Three people were killed while another was injured when an explosive device went off at a bus in Zamboanga City Friday, police said.

Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, Region 9 police spokesman, identified the fatalities as bus conductor Meliton Orquijo, Hudson Guinilac and Allison Saavedra, both bus washers.

The three were killed when a suspected improvised explosive device went off at the bus of Biel Transit (bus number 2871) with license plate JAW 651 that was parked at the storage of the said transit located at Barangay (village) Labuan in Zamboanga City at around 5:50 p.m.

Firefighters responded after the bus went on fire after the explosion, he said.

62-year-old Bello Domingo, on the other hand, was injured.

Authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the attack.

Labuan is about 36 kilometers away from the site of the 12-day fighting between government troops and Moro National Liberation Front forces here. With report by Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao