2 bomb explosions rock Zambo, injure 7

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Seven people, including a two-year-old boy, were wounded after two bomb explosions rocked this southern port city on Thursday night.

The first explosion that injured seven people took place around 9:20 p.m. Thursday onboard an inter-provincial passenger bus owned by the Rural Transit Management Inc. (RTMI). Among those injured was the bus fare collector.

No one was either killed or injured in the second explosion that took place outside a mosque shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday at Suterville in the village of San Jose Gusu, west of this city, the police said.

Investigation showed that the RTMI bus with body number 9224 had just arrived from Pagadian City and is about 200 meters away from the bus terminal in the village of Guiwan, east of this city, when the bomb exploded aboard the bus.

The explosion damaged the rear portion of the bus, the police said.

Four of the seven victims were rushed to the Western Mindanao Medical Center (WMMC), two at the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) while one at the Zamboanga Doctors’ Hospital (ZDH).

One of the four victims at the WMMC has been considered in critical condition.

Initially, the Explosive Ordnance Demolition personnel recovered concrete nails used as shrapnel of the improvised bomb that exploded aboard the bus, the police said.

The police are still sifting the vicinity of the mosque where the second explosion took place to determine what type of explosive was used.

Investigations continue to unmask the suspects behind the two separate blasts, the police said. (Sunnex)