Extortion eyed in South Cotabato bomb attack

From the Philippine Star (Jul 23): Extortion eyed in South Cotabato bomb attack

Police are eyeing extortion in the bomb attack on a bus terminal in Sto. Nino, South Cotabato last Saturday.

Senior Superintendent Jose Briones Jr., South Cotabato police director, said the perpetrators, who were also believed to be involved in previous bombings of bus terminals in Central Mindanao, have been extorting money from bus companies.

Briones said nobody was injured when an improvised explosive device went off inside a YBL bus at the Sto. Niño terminal. The attack occurred during Sto. Niño’s  49th founding anniversary celebration, which Senators Francis Escudero and Grace Poe attended.

The Al-Khobar group, which is reportedly linked to the Southeast Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiyah had claimed responsibility for previous attacks against bus companies in the region.

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/07/23/1479828/extortion-eyed-south-cotabato-bomb-attack