Thursday, July 24, 2008
Davao: 27 injured in Digos bus blast (1:56 p.m.)
By Ben O. Tesiorna and Carlo P. Mallo
DAVAO CITY -- Police authorities say a bomb has exploded on a bus inside the terminal of Digos City in the province of Davao del Sur before noon Thursday, injuring 27 other passengers, four of whom are in critical condition.
Military spokesman Maj. Armand Rico says the explosion hit the bus parked at a terminal in Digos City Overland Terminal. It stopped over at the terminal on its way to Davao City from Bansalan, Davo del Sur.
Security has been tightened at the commercial centers and vital installations in Davao City, setting up police and military checkpoints in and around the city.
Police probers are looking into extortion as possible motive behind the incident, but did not rule out possibility that terrorists could have perpetrated it.
Chief Supt. Andres Caro, regional police chief, said before the explosion, a man who identified himself as a member of Al Khobar Gang, known for its extortion activities in Central Mindanao, called up the office of Metro Shuttle at Ecoland Terminal in Davao City, asking for money, but did not divulge the amount.
Metro Shuttle owner Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy readily declared that the company will shoulder all hospital bills of the victims as he vowed that "extra-precautionary measures" will be taken by their company so that same incident would not happen again. (Sun.Star Davao) |
