LEGAZPI CITY — A motorized banca sank shortly after an explosion at the Masbate City port in Barangay Bapor Wednesday night.
The boat docked at the pier was destroyed by the impact of the explosion around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday, according to Chief Insp. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police in Bicol.
The passenger boat that could accommodate eight to 10 passengers, marked as “Noylan” and owned by Choy Tuazon, 40, of Barangay Nursery in Masbate City, sank due to the impact of the explosion, she said.
No injuries were reported, she added.
Police said Rogan Dela Rosa, a Grade 12 student, told authorities that he was fishing at the pier when he saw two suspects disembark from a yellow motorized boat and left a small box at the port stairs, after which they returned to their boat and left the port.
Dela Rosa said that a few minutes after the suspects left, a loud explosion occurred.
Investigators said the blast, aside from damaging a vessel, also created a dent on the pier stairs.
Recovered from the blast scene were scattered PVC pipes, a paper box, and a subscriber identity module (SIM) card.
Police are still looking for leads on the identities of the suspects and the motive behind the bombing. (Mar Serrano/PNA)
