3 dead, 4 hurt as bus catches fire in North Cotabato

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines — Three passengers were burned alive after an arsonist set a bus on fire while motoring through Mlang town at about 4 p.m. Thursday.

Initial reports from the local government unit of Mlang and the municipal police said one of the passengers of a unit of the Yellow Bus Company poured gasoline on the floor of the vehicle, lit the fuel with a disposable lighter and jumped out through its half-open hydraulic door.

Four other passengers, who suffered serious burns in different parts of their bodies, were rushed to a hospital by LGU emergency responders..

Radio reports said three passengers perished in Thursday’s arson attack.

In January, a passenger was killed while five others were hurt when suspected extortionists bombed a unit the Yellow Bus Company in nearby Tulunan town, also in North Cotabato

Mlang and Tulunan towns are near Maguindanao province where there are local terrorists, using the flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as banner, extorting money from operators of public conveyances and commercial establishments.