The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) confirmed on Monday that some young athletes were passengers in the bus that was hit by a blast in Parang, Maguindanao.
PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez said the athletes with their coach were on the way to Pagadian from Cotabato City to join the qualifiers for the Asean School Games.
“The Philippine Sports Commission strongly condemns the act of terrorism which ended up hurting and injuring four sepak takraw athletes and one coach in their bus ride to Pagadian City from Cotabato City to participate in the national qualifiers for the Asean School Games,” Ramirez said in a statement.
The backside of a Rural Tours bus exploded at around 8:45 a.m. Sunday in Parang.
Everyone aboard the bus was eating breakfast at a diner, so no one died in the blast.
But the blast was so powerful that the entire sepak takraw squad got hurt as well as a woman.
No one is taking responsibility for the explosion.
“There is no justification for purposely causing pain on any person, especially the ones which could possibly fatal like this bombing. This cowardly act aimed to terrorize the public included athletes among its victims whose budding athletic future is unfairly dimmed by this horrible,” Ramirez said. “Terrorism has no place in sports.”
Source: Philippines News Agency
