Four people, including one minor, were left injured after a bomb exploded in a bus in Parang, Maguindanao, on Sunday morning.
Parang Municipal Police Station (MPS) identified the victims as Fesel Panario Culag, 40; John Paul Capio, 17; Expedito Ocay, 45; and Benjamen Wahab, 32; who were all Cotabato City residents.
Culag sustained a pelvic injury due to the blast, while Capio received injuries to both legs, Ocay had his left leg injured, and Wahab injured his right hand because of the explosion.
According to the Parang MPS, the bus was traversing to Pagadian City from Cotabato City when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in its back portion when they were in Parang, Maguindanao, at 6:40 a.m.
When the incident occurred, police said 23 passengers were about to disembark the bus in Niño Eastery for breakfast.
Authorities identified one person of interest, who left the bus several minutes before the explosion. According to the police, he was "more or less 40 years old, slim build, wearing a gray cap, facemasks, black jacket, and a blue back pack, based on captured CCTV footage and eyewitnesses."
The IED used in the explosion were made up from cell phones, blasting caps, high explosives with nails, and scrap metals.
Another IED was discovered by first responders, but this was successfully disrupted by the Philippine National Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team.
Wahab and Ocay were sent to Iranun District Hospital in Parang, Maguindanao, while Culag and Capio were taken to Cotabato Regional and Medical Center for medical treatment and are now in stable condition.
Following the incident, the Maguindanao Provincial Police Office has formed a Special Investigation Task Group for identify and file a complaint against the suspects.
Parang MPS is also reviewing security footages in Parang and Cotabato City.
In a later statement, the Parang MPS said it "condemns in the strongest terms" the bombing incident, and has established additional security measures because of it.
"We assure the public that the PNP is on top of the situation and that the situation is being handled carefully. A thorough investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the explosion and checkpoints/chokepoints were already established at all exit points in Parang, Maguindanao," said the MPS in a statement.
It did not disclose any reason for the bombing, but urged the public to avoid speculating or spreading misleading information about the incident.
"We [ask] the public not to speculate anything and not to create passing misleading or unverified reports to avoid confusion and panic," it said. "Furthermore, the public is encouraged to be vigilant at all times."
