Philippine authorities believe extortionists could be behind another bombing attack on a bus that killed nine people, including some college students, in Bukidnon province in the island of Mindanao, the Philippines Tuesday night.  

The powerful explosion, believed detonated by a cellphone-based remote triggered device, ripped through the bus just second after it had picked up students in front of the gate of the Mindanao State University campus in Maramag town around 5:30 p.m. local time (5:30 a.m. EDT). The bus has just run about 50 meters away from the university gate.

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It was rush hour and the bus was full, with some passengers even standing on the aisle, when the explosion occured. Investigators are checking with the bus operator, Rural Transit Mindanao Inc., whether there had been extortion demands recently. The company had been targetted several times in the past, including one bombing attack in November 2013 where four passengers were seriously wounded.

Two of the victims who died in Tuesday's attack were confirmed to be students at the university. 

Pictures posted by social media users showed broken glass windows but more extensive damage on the rear of the bus. Police said the bombers probably used an improvised explosive device placed on the overhead baggage bin near the rear. 

Twenty-four injured passengers have been taken to a hospital in Valencia City nearby. Investigators said most of the nine dead died on the spot or before reaching the hospital. 

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