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Text by Richard Falcatan, Photos and video by Luis Liwanag, VERA Files
ZAMBOANGA CITY— Two explosions, one near a mosque, wounded seven bus passengers here Thursday night.
The wounded victims in the bus explosion include 2-year-old Mac Owen Palomar who was rushed to the Western Mindanao Medical Center along with three others who sustained minor injuries. Others were brought to the Zamboanga City Medical Center and Doctors Hospital.
The back portion of the Rural Bus with plate number JVE 212 that exploded at Maria Clara Lobregat Highway, Guiwan had come from Pagadian City and was on its way to Zamboanga City. Police said an unidentified suspect placed an improvised explosive device (IED) at the back compartment of the bus that was carrying around 24 passengers.
The second explosion was in Suterville, near Barangay Campo Islam and the Masjid al Imam al Mandi Mosque. Authorities have so far found out that the IED used in the second explosion has the same component as the first one.
Police still could not establish the motive, but said bus bombings are usually done for extortion.
(VERA Files is put out by senior journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. VERA is Latin for true.)