Authorities: 2 terror groups connived in bus bombing

TACURONG CITY - Investigators are convinced the Al-Khobar and its ally, the Dawlah Islamiya, connived in Sunday’s bombing of a bus here that left a passenger dead and hurt 11 others.

Both groups are known for bombing public conveyances and business establishments to compel owners to pay "protection money" on monthly basis.

Brig. Gen. Jamili Macaraeg, director of the Police Regional Office-12, and Army Major Gen. Roy Galido of the 6^th Infantry Division, separately said Monday their intelligence units are now cooperating in identifying the bombers behind the attack.

Gilbert Barbosa Panes, 56, was killed when a powerful improvised explosive device went off inside a unit of the Yellow Bus Line while on its way to the public terminal here from Kidapawan City in Cotabato province at noon Sunday.

The explosion hurt 11 passengers - Emmanuel Catayada, 22, Erlinda Pama, 47, Bea Posia, 21, Braulio Boston, 39, Delia Dela, 64, Esmael Daomilang, 55, Rex Relebante, 24, Zezkeel Dave Osorio, 26, Jobert Rivera, 25, Nancy Nietes, 41 and her daughter, Zinenze, a minor.

Army and police intelligence sources said the IED used in the bombing of the bus was detonated from a distance using a mobile phone, the kind used by the Al-Khobar and Dawlah Islamiya in recent bombings in central Mindanao.

Two units of the same bus company were bombed one after another in Cotabato province by members of the Al-Khobar early this year.

Two were hurt in when a bomb exploded in the rear part of another unit of the Yellow Bus Line in Koronadal City only about three months ago. 

Probers from the city police force and the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office told reporters Monday they received reports from confidential civilian informants about the involvement of both the Al-Khobar and Dawlah Islamiya terror groups in Sunday’s bus bombing here. 

Both groups are operating in the fashion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria