AN improvised explosive device (IED) went off inside a packed passenger bus traveling along the national highway in Koronadal City in South Cotabato shortly after noon Thursday, injuring at least three persons, police said.

Police Regional Office 12 (PRO12) Director Brigadier General Alexander C. Tagum said that as of press time, they are still investigating the motive and identity of the suspect who planted the IED inside the Yellow Bus Line unit.

The IED went off around 12:20 in the afternoon, slightly injuring Joseph Valenzuela, a resident of Purok Urban Dos in Bgy. Santo Niño, Koronadal City, and two still-unidentified persons.

Brig. Gen. Tagum said that their initial investigation showed that the bus was traveling along the stretch of Gensan Drive when placed at the backseat of the vehicle exploded, showering the victims with shrapnel.

Members of the Koronadal City Police Station and the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office immediately rushed to the site and cordoned off the bus as forensic investigators sifted for clues that will lead them to the identification of the suspect and the type of the IED used, said Tagum.

The official said they are looking into several possible motives behind the explosion, including extortion.

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