Sports officials are monitoring the situation involving four sepak takraw athletes and their coach, after they got hurt when an improvised bomb went off inside a bus that was parked at the side of a road in Parang, Maguindanao.
Police said the incident took place on Sunday morning.
The five were not identified by the Philippine Sepak Takraw Federation, Inc., which condemned the incident as an act of terrorism.
The group was headed for Cotabato City to join the qualifiers for the ASEAN School Games.
PSTFI president Karen Tanchanco-Caballero told the Manila Standard that one of their athletes underwent surgery at the Parang district hospital. She got reports that two of the player’s toes were amputated.
“They are in stable condition. I am still trying to get in touch with one of the kids. They said he was amputated and lost two toes,” said Tanchanco-Caballero.
According to reports, the bus, which was headed for Dipolog City, had a stopover in Barangay Making in Parang, Maguindanao for breakfast when the explosion took place.
“Those kids worked hard and were excited to compete and dream of representing the country in the coming ASEAN Schools Games. They were just happy to represent and play,” said Tanchanco-Caballero.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Sports Commission also condemned the incident, with chairman William Ramirez offering a word of sympathy to the victims.
“There’s no justification for purposely causing pain on any person, especially ones which could possibly be fatal like this bombing. This cowardly act aimed to terrorize the public included athletes as among its victims, whose budding athletic future are unfairly dimmed by this horrific atrocity,” said Ramirez in a statement.
