3 hurt in North Cotabato blast

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Three persons, including a village official, were wounded when a fragmentation grenade went off just few feet away from an abandoned Army detachment in Pikit town in North Cotabato, around 8:20 p.m., Thursday.

Senior Inspector Elias Dandan, chief of Pikit Philippine National Police (PNP), identified the victims as Gilbert Perdida, barangay councilor of Kapinpilan, Midsayap; Renante Duelo of Midsayap; and Datuan Patugkain from Pikit town.

Dandan said the victims, Perdida and Duelo, were on board a tricycle driven by Patugkain, when the blast happened.

Perdida and Duelo, according to Dandan, had just attended a meeting in Pikit and decided to return to their place in Midsayap town.

While on their way, another motorcycle, was headed towards their direction.

One of the passengers lobbed a grenade and tossed it near the victims’ direction, reports said.

The victims were rushed to a hospital in Pikit town.

Authorities have yet to find out the motive and those behind the blast.

Last September, another grenade went off just outside the Army detachment where four Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) members detailed at the area were wounded.

After the incident, the Army decided to abandon the outpost, Dandan said. (PNA)