Boy killed in Danao grenade explosion

A 10-year-old boy was killed after a grenade he found on the road exploded while he was playing with it in barangay Poblacion, Danao City, northern Cebu.

Albert James Lawas died several hours after he was rushed to the Danao City District Hospital.

Chief Insp. Ricky Delelis, Danao city police chief, said the boy reportedly found the rifle grenade in the inner portion of a road in sitio Nicaragua.

Albert brought the grenade in front of his grandmother’s house and was seen hitting it with a rock.

The grandmother, Simeona Almerez, told police that she was busy washing clothes when she heard the blast about 2 p.m.

When she went outside, she saw her bloodied grandson crawling to the main door of the house calling for help.

The young victim suffered injuries in both legs, chest, right hand and face.

He was first treated at the Danao City District Hospital and then transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City where he died at around 6:30 p.m.

Parts of the rifle grenade were recovered in the area.

It was not clear how the explosive turned up on the road.

Delelis said this type of explosive is not used in ordinary police stations and could have come from supplies of the Armed Forces, a special police unit like the Regional Safety Battalion or even the New People’s Army.

An army headquarters is located in barangay Guinsay, Danao City, far from the explosion site.  Danao City isn’t an area troubled by rebels, said the police chief.

Delelis said police investigation is ongoing to identify the owner of the grenade.

If the owner’s identity is known, police can file charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide, he said./WITH CORRESPONDENT RHEA RUTH V. ROSELL