Digos City Bombing

News entry courtesy of www.arcanemind.com

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6 dead, 30 others wounded in another Digos bus bombing
Written by Eldie S. Aguirre
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Six people were killed while 30 others are brought to different hospitals here and in Davao City when a bomb exploded inside the Metro Shuttle Bus with body number 209 at about 2:45 p.m. on September 01 inside the New Satellite Terminal in Aplaya, Digos City.
The City Disaster Coordinating Council identified the fatalities as Marlon Duey, a resident of Barangay Basiawan, Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur; Virginia Flores, a resident of Tagum City, Davao del Norte; Fe Caduan, a resident of Talao, Sulop, Davao del Sur; Ana Marie Canon Burgas, 26, a resident of Aplaya, Digos City; and the 5-month pregnant Willa Trimocha, a resident of Padada, Davao del Sur.

One still unidentified male fatality is still inside the morgue of Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital in Digos City.

Digos City Mayor Arsenio Latasa said the incident is possibly linked to the previous bombing of another Metro Shuttle Bus unit at the same terminal on July 24.

“The culprits could be members of the Al-Khobar Extortion Ring known to be preying on bus firm operators in Southern Mindanao,” Latasa said.

Governor Douglas Cagas, the Regional Peace and Order Council in Southern Mindanao said they are looking for the same group that bombed another Metro Shuttle Bus on July 24, 2008 that killed 2 people and injured 32 others.

“Based on initial investigation, a woman could be behind the explosion. But we are still validating the reports,” Cagas said.

“We must be vigilant at all times. And we must reduce activities for the incoming celebrations to serve as preventive measures for possible terrorist activities in the city,” Cagas said.

The July 24 bombing of another Metro Shuttle Bus bound for Davao City is also a woman reported to embarked at Estrada Public Market – about 3 kilometers before reaching the New Satellite Terminal in Aplaya, Digos City where it exploded ten minutes after it was parked at its bay.

Senior Supt. Cesario Darantinao admitted elements of Digos police is conducting an intensive interrogation to a man who was acting suspiciously after the Metro Shuttle Bus with body number 209 exploded.

Fe Navidad, the city social welfare officer said 14 victims were brought to Digos Doctor’s Hospital; 16 at the Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital; 4 at Gonzales-Maranan Medical Clinic and Hospital; and 2 at Davao Medical Center in Davao City.

The ill-fated bus parked at the New Satellite Terminal from Davao City on its way to Malita, Davao del Sur – about 90 kilometers South of Digos City.

Reports said the bus was in full sitting capacity of 47 passengers when the explosion took place.

The blast shattered the roof of the bus and bomb shrapnel even bore holes at the terminal galvanized iron sheets.

Another Metro Shuttle Bus with body number 36 and plate number 642 parked at the left side of the ill-fated bus was also hit by shrapnel. No casualties were reported.