Security tightened in S. Cotabato after bus bombing

Police and military have tightened security in South Cotabato province following the bombing of a bus there Saturday afternoon. Radio dzRH reported Sunday that while no one was reported injured in the incident, authorities will not take chances to ensure public safety. An improvised explosive device (IED) went off inside a passenger bus in Koronadal City in South Cotabato just after passengers alighted from it. The bus (LVK-314) belonged to the Yellow Bus Line company and had just arrived from Surallah town when the explosion took place. Police are now looking for a man believed to have left a carton box that contained the explosive device. The man was described as sporting a beard and wearing a red shirt. Saturday’s bombing was the latest in a series of bus bombings in Mindanao. Last month, several passengers died after a bomb went off in a Weena Bus. Investigators said they are looking into extortion as the likely motive behind the bombing. On the other hand, Sun Star Davao reported Saturday that Yellow Bus Line Inc. faces operations disruptions after its workers filed a notice of strike with the Labor Department. Should the workers push through with their plan to hold a strike, thousands of passengers are expected to be stranded even with the operation of vans and rival bus companies. Yellow Bus, the largest bus company plying the key cities of Davao, General Santos, and Koronadal in Mindanao, is now in negotiations with the union to avert the strike. For decades, the bus firm owned by the Yap family has dominated the Davao-GenSan-Koronadal route with its more than 50 units operating daily. National Conciliation and Mediation Board Central Mindanao director Tomas Biboso said Yellow Bus’ union bloc cited dissatisfaction with the management in planning the strike. Biboso said the firm’s management and labor union leaders met with him on Tuesday to discuss the grievance. He said a “positive development had taken place" but would not elaborate. However, he appealed to the bus management and labor union to settle their differences internally to avoid discomforting the riding public. - GMANews.TV