Bomb found in bus taken out before it goes off; no one hurt

KORONADAL CITY—An alert civilian helped prevent what could be a bloody Saturday in South Cotabato when he alerted the driver and conductor of Yellow Bus Line of his “unusual” discovery.

“I find it very unusual for a mobile phone with packing tape to be inside a carton under one of the seats. My instinct told me it could be a bomb,” the man told reporters.

The driver then directed the 23 passengers to slowly alight to avoid stampede.

Supt. Jose Briones Jr., South Cotabato police director, said the IED was to be defused when it went off but no one was harmed. The blast triggered a minor damage to the bus with body number A-93.

Briones said the improvised explosive device was fashioned from a fragmentation grenade with mobile phone as triggering device.

Quoting witnesses, Briones said a man alighted along the national highway before the bus arrived at Sto. Niño bus terminal at 10 a.m. It was learned that the bus came from Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

He said the man vacated a seat at the rear portion where the box was found.

Briones said the attack could be perpetrated by extortion groups preying on the bus firm.