Police: 5 wounded in Philippine bus bombing

MIDSAYAP, Philippines (AP) - A homemade bomb exploded in a passenger van in a southern Philippine town Thursday, seriously wounding at least five people and damaging two other parked vans, police officials said.

The bomb, apparently detonated using a cell phone, went off while the van was about to leave a passenger terminal in the farming township of Midsayap in North Cotabato province, Midsayap police chief Superintendent Chino Mamburam said.

Police Inspector Lucas Dicay said from the scene of the blast that five people were wounded, including children. Police officials had said earlier that three people were killed but later said that there were no deaths.

Dicay said that a man boarded the van and left his backpack inside, telling the other passengers that he had to go to a toilet. The man did return and after a few minutes, the backpack exploded, Dicay said.

Among the wounded were a mother and her two children who were taken to a hospital about one hour away from the scene of the explosion. The mother's feet may have to be amputated, according to a doctor, Sanny Sandig.

Army Col. Pedro Soria said troops had secured the area and were looking for clues that may lead to suspects.

Midsayap, about 550 miles south of Manila, has been threatened by extortion gangs in the past and is located near Muslim separatist guerrilla camps.

A homemade bomb exploded near a parked passenger in Midsayap last month, damaging the vehicle but causing no injuries in an attack police believe was the work of extortion gangs.

(This version CORRECTS with police saying 5 people wounded and no one killed.)