MANILA - NINE people were killed when a commuter bus plunged into a deep ravine in the northern Philippines on Friday, a police report said.

The bus had just left the northern city of Cabanatuan when the accident occurred.

The cause of the accident was still undetermined although police suspected the driver may have swerved to avoid another vehicle.

Police could not say how many people were on the bus at the time or how many were injured.