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Philippine bus attack leaves two dead, 20 injured
Gunmen opened fire on two buses in the troubled southern Philippines on Friday, killing two passengers and injuring 20 others. Police said the attack could be a failed robbery or kidnap attempt, and is the latest outbreak of violence in the province of Maguindanao.The passenger buses were shot at when they sped past gunmen in military-style uniforms who were trying to flag them down on an isolated stretch of highway. One of 22 people treated for gunshot wounds at a local hospital, Veronica Cruz, said the bus driver thought the armed men were robbers and chose to run the blockade. The other vehicle did the same. "The driver noticed there were armed men on the road but they had no signs saying that they were police and army. They had boulders and tree trunks on the road so he suspected that it was a robbery. He yelled, 'Get down, we are going through', and this was followed by gunshots." Cruz recalled. The drivers raced to a hospital so the injured could be treated, but police said two of the 22 were later pronounced dead. Marcelo Pintac, police chief superintendent of Maguindanao, said the area was known for Muslim rebels, highway robbers and kidnappers. Posted by: ryuge 2011-10-07 |
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