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By Al Jacinto Correspondent
ZAMBOANGA CITY: A homemade bomb
exploded Tuesday inside a commuter bus, the second in three days in
the restive region of the southern Philippines, officials said.
Officials said the blast occurred
at around noontime in South Cotabato’s Marbel town, but there were
no reports of injuries or casualties, said Maj. Gen. Ernesto Boac,
commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division.
“A cell phone was used to
detonate the bomb left inside the bus. There were no reports of
casualties,” he told The Manila Times.
The bomb was detonated shortly
after passengers disembarked at a bus depot.
No individual or group has yet
claimed responsibility for the blast and police and military
authorities are still investigating the motives behind the attack.
Moro rebels and communist
insurgents, blamed for previous attacks, are actively operating in
the province.
On Saturday, a bomb planted
underneath a Coca-Cola delivery truck also exploded in nearby
Cotabato City, wounding one person. Similarly, no group owned up to
the attack.
Last week, Australia banned its
citizens from traveling to the southern Philippines, particularly
the Zamboanga peninsula, because of possible terror attacks.
“We advise you to exercise a
high degree of caution in the Philippines because of the high threat
of terrorist attack. We continue to receive credible reports that
terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets,
including places frequented by foreigners,” the Australian
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warned.
Security forces were tracking
down Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah militants, including Dulmatin
and Umar Patek, both tagged by Jakarta as behind the Bali bombings;
and Zulkifli bin Hir, who are hiding in Mindanao. 
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