Alert passenger helps prevent bus bombing in South Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 18): Alert passenger helps prevent bus bombing in South Cotabato

Suspected extortionists planted an improvised bomb inside a Yellow Bus in South Cotabato but an alert civilian helped prevent what could be a bloody Saturday when he alerted the driver and conductor of his “unusual discovery.”

“I find it very unusual for mobile phone with packing tape inside carton under one of the seats, my instinct told me it could be a bomb,” the man told reporters after bomb experts detonated the explosive at Sto Nino town bus terminal.

After the man reported his discovery, the driver then directed 23 passengers to slowly alight to avoid stampede.

Supt. Jose Briones Jr, South Cotabato police director, said the blast triggered minor damages to the bus with body number A-93.

He said the improvised explosive device was fashioned from a fragmentation grenade with mobile phone as triggering device.

Quoting witnesses, Briones said a man alighted along the national highway before the bus arrived at Sto Nino bus terminal at 10 a.m.

It came from Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

He said the man who disembarked vacated a seat at the rear portion where the box was found.

Briones said the attack could be perpetrated by extortion groups preying on the bus firm.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=784154