MANILA — Four people were hurt after a bomb exploded inside the bus they were riding in Parang, Maguindanao Sunday morning.

Brig. Gen. Arthur Cabalona, police regional director of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said the Rural Transit Bus made a stopover in Barangay Making of the town when the incident occurred.

“Nag-stopover sa Parang. And while the passengers were having breakfast, may sumabog sa back portion ng bus,” Cabalona said.

(They had a stopover in Parang. And while the passengers were having breakfast, there was an explosion at the back portion of the bus.)

Authorities found that an improvised explosive device (IED) had been planted in the bus, which was on its way to Dipolog City from General Santos City.

The 4 injured passengers have been sent to hospitals and are still undergoing treatment as of writing.

Police are now checking CCTV surveillance footage from the area to see who among the passengers of the bus disappeared shortly before the explosion.

“May mga CCTV camera along the vicinity. Kinukuha na po natin ‘yan to see those passengers and their faces kung sino ‘yong nawala. Probably ‘yon magiging persons of interest natin and at the same time, an investigator is also sent to the owner of the bus company to conduct questioning,” Cabalona said.

While police have yet to determine the motive behind the explosion, Cabalona said that they are looking into “reports of extortion or attempts of extortion.”

The explosion occurred just a few meters away from the BARMM police’s regional headquarters.

The bus involved in the explosion was taking a new route which was only launched last March, plying from General Santos to Dipolog via Cotabato City.

— reports from Lerio Bompat and Chrislen Bulosan