MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato, March 4 (PNA) -- At
least eight people were injured Monday night when a hand grenade exploded
inside this town’s public market, police said.
Senior Inspector Henry Narciso, deputy police
chief, said witnesses saw one of two motorcycle-riding men hurled a
fragmentation grenade at the fish stalls and hurriedly fled.
The blast came while the town was experiencing
power interruption at 8:40 p.m, Narciso said.
The blast injured Kryza Jane Torrejas, 13;
Virginia Cablas, 56; Quintin Trastisa, 32; Anne Pocapotan, 14; Paula Angelie
Masicampo, 20; Rodrigo Cataytay Jr., 31; Bernie Cuerpo, 22; and Charles
Monsanto Guhitia, 22, all residents of Midsayap.
“The victims were among the market vendors
closing shop at the time of the blast, we are still investigating as of now,”
Narciso said.
Cablas said she first heard a loud thud
followed by a loud blast seconds later.
Guhitia who sustained shrapnel wounds in the
head was rushed to Davao City for further treatment.
Narciso said the fragmentation grenade landed
right beside Guhitia who was sitting in one of the market stalls.
The victims were immediately rushed to
different hospitals for medication.
Among the motives police investigators are now
looking into are rivalry among fish vendors or sabotage act by companions of
persons involved carnapping cases.
“We have so many arrested persons involved in
carnapping, their companions might have retaliated, but the rivalry issue is
the likely motive,” he said.
Residents of Midsayap are no stranger to
bombings, having witnessed in many years, and until lately, attacks by
extortionists and by the renegade Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
Army intelligence officials
in North Cotabato said there is a possibility that the BIFF was behind the
latest bombing in Midsayap. (PNA)
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