Inspector Lucas Dicay, deputy chief of Midsayap police, said the bomb was placed near the driver’s seat of the Davao City-bound van.
Dicay said the van, with plate number LDN 795, was damaged beyond repair by the explosion.
The other passengers had not yet embarked when the blast occurred, he said.
The victims were identified as Violeta Olanday, 32, of Pigcawayan, North Cotabato; her two children Faith, 8, and French John, 4; Fe Basoy, of Barangay Villarica, Midsayap; and Teng Hashim, of Datu Piang, Maguindanao.
Violeta was in critical condition. She was taken to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center together with her children.
Basoy was brought to the Amado Diaz Hospital and Hashim to the Community Hospital. Both hospitals are in Midsayap.
Dicay said other passenger vans and buses were also damaged.
Today’s bombing was the second to occur in Midsayap since April 29 when an improvised explosive hit a bus owned by People’s Transport as it was about to leave the terminal in Midsayap.
Nobody was hurt in the incident, but it caused damage to three other buses.
Carlito Perez, a member of the Midsayap Aircon Transport Organization, said that he saw a man who was wearing a hat leave a baggage which was believed to have contained the bomb.
The man stood about 5’5” and was of average build. (MindaNews)