Mild blast rocks bus in Kidapawan
Peace and Order • 07:45 AM Fri Jul 9, 2021
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
The Kidapawan City bus terminal was emptied by passengers after a mild blast has occurred inside the Davao Metro Shuttle Bus on Thursday afternoon. (Photo from DXND Radyo Bida)
KIDAPAWAN CITY – Police authorities here have intensified security measures following a foiled arson attack against a passenger bus here Thursday.
Lt. Colonel Lauro Espida, Kidapawan City police director, said tighter security measures are already in place following the mild explosion inside the Davao Metro Shuttle Bus while parked at the Kidapawan City Overland terminal at about 3 p.m.
A mild explosion followed by smoke emitting from a bag left unattended sent some passengers running for their lives and yelling a bomb had just exploded.
A quick response from PNP K-9 unit prevented a fire inside the bus.
Espida said the items found at the rear portion of Davao Metro Shuttle bus was bomb components aimed at setting the passenger vehicle ablaze.
Espida said the bag contained two mobile phones, a 9-volt battery, two canisters of butane gas and flammable materials.
The police chief believed the motive was to set the bus on fire and not to harm or injure passengers. “It was timed when the bus was at the bus terminal when passengers are expected to alight,” he said.
Police said the bus was heading to Davao City from Arakan, North Cotabato and had a stopover in Kidapawan City.
The bus conductor said a man with two backpacks boarded the vehicle in Antipas, North Cotabato and alighted as the unit was approaching the city.
Police believed the man was the bomb carrier.
Espida said all buses entering the city will have to undergo massive inspection, with the help of K-9 bomb sniffing dogs, to prevent similar attacks in the future.