|
Sunday, September 25, 2005
North Cotabato blast kills 3
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- A retired army sergeant, angered at being hit by a stone during a fight between two groups of teenagers, threw a grenade at one group, killing three people and wounding eight others, police said Saturday.
Retired army Master Sergeant Leo Sayduque, who was believed to have been drunk at the time, was arrested and faces charges of murder and illegal possession of explosives, regional police chief Danilo Mangila said in a report to the national police headquarters in Manila.
Local officials were quick to rule out terror attack. The names of the victims were not available as of press time.
Colonel Ruperto Pabustan, chief of the Army's 602nd Infantry Brigade, said the incident happened at around 11 p.m. at a public dance in Barangay Kimarayag in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato.
Prior to the explosion, Sayduque and a group of teenagers were reportedly arguing over something.
The suspect, who was with a companion, was said to be drunk and was ordered by militiamen guarding the event to leave.
The suspect, however, denied the allegations.
Provincial spokesman Carlos Bautista said Governor Emmanuel Piñol ordered a thorough investigation of the blast and for local officials to help those wounded.
"The police are now looking into this and we will prosecute those responsible in the explosion," Piñol said.
Last month, a homemade bomb detonated by suspected Abu Sayyaf militants in North Cotabato's Arakan town. Although no casualties were reported, the blast destroyed a bakeshop.
An Abu Sayyaf bomb attack on a ferry in Basilan island, also in August, killed three people and wounded three dozens more.
Security forces are in heightened alert in the southern Philippines because of threats of terrorism and every explosion--big or small--in the troubled region are often associated by authorities with the Abu Sayyaf, which is on US terror list.
The victims are now recuperating at the provincial hospital. (With Peng Aliño and Al Jacinto)
(September 25, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Pinay maid's remains from Singapore due Sunday