Kibitzers mill around a provincial bus in Zamboanga city in the southern Philippines following a bomb explosion that wounded at least 5 people on Thursday, August 16, 2012. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 16, 2012) – A small explosion hit an Islamic school late Thursday hours after a bomb was detonated inside a passenger bus in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, officials said.
Officials said no one was injured in the blast outside the al-Imam in the village of Campo Islam. The explosion occurred shortly before 11 p.m. while Muslims were praying inside the school compound.
It was unknown whether surveillance cameras outside the school recorded the explosion or who planted the bomb.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but it occurred barely 2 hours after a powerful bomb exploded inside a bus in the village of Guiwan, wounding at least 5 people.
Officials said the explosion tore open the rear and the left side of the bus, owned by Rural Transit of Mindanao.
The bus came from Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province.
A police investigator said he recovered concrete nails, believed to be from the bomb used in the attack.
No individual or group claimed responsibility for the bombing, but security forces are battling Muslim rebels in Mindanao since last week following a series of attacks by the group called Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement.
The rebels said the attacks were in retaliation to continued military offensive in nearby Basilan province. (Mindanao Examiner. With a report from Ely Dumaboc)
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