TWO policemen were killed while 16 persons, including Abra Representative Joseph Bernos and wife La Paz Mayor Menchie Bernos, were wounded in a grenade blast in La Paz town plaza in Abra early Thursday morning, January 25.

Senior Police Officer 3 Robert Mailed, investigator of the case, identified the two fatalities as Police Officer 3 Carlos Bocaig and Police Officer 2 Frenzel Kitoyan. They died while undergoing treatment at the local hospital.

Mailed said the Bernos couple were slightly injured and have been allowed to go home.

Seven of those injured persons have been admitted to the hospital for treatment. They have been identified as Ryan Manasan, Jayron Sales, Marian Manzano, Kenneth Onobre, Aira Cortez, Mark Beronilla, and Merry Rose Baluyot.

Mailed said the incident happened during a fireworks display in celebration of the town fiesta at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday.

He said the Bernoses were seated on the stage when the grenade was thrown by an unidentified assailant.

He said they are still looking into the possibility that the incident was politically motivated.

Abra provincial police director Chief Superintendent Ted Carranza said they alerted adjacent municipalities to conduct checkpoints as part of the ongoing follow-up operations agaianst the perpetrators. (SunStar Philippines)