Bus bombing in southern Philippines kills 2

MANILA, Philippines (AP) – The Philippine military says a bus bomb in a restive southern region has killed two passengers and wounded five others in an attack suspected to be carried out by extortionists.

Regional commander Lt. Col. Benjie Hao revised an initial official toll that said 10 were dead.

The military says the bomb went off on the bus Wednesday as it pulled into a terminal in Carmen town in North Cotabato province. Extortion gangs linked to Muslim rebels have been suspected in previous such attacks targeting bus companies in the region.

Muslim rebels and criminal gangs are behind decades-long unrest in the southern Philippines, home to minority Muslims in the predominantly Christian nation.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine military says a bus bomb in the restive southern region has killed 10 passengers and wounded two others.

Regional commander Col. Leopoldo Galon says the bomb went off on the bus Wednesday as it pulled into a terminal in Carmen town in North Cotabato province.

He says extortion gangs linked to Muslim rebels have been suspected in previous such attacks in the region.

A long-running Muslim rebellion and criminal gangs are behind decades-long unrest in the southern Philippines, home to minority Muslims in the predominantly Christian nation.