PNP hospital offered to blast victims in Taguig

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police on Friday offered the services of the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame to the victims of the explosion that killed four and left 10 others wounded in Taguig City on Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., spokesperson of the Philippine National Police, said they were offering medical services at the police camp to the 10 individuals injured when an 81-millimeter mortar went off at an ironworks shop in Lower Bicutan. One of those injured was Police Officer 2 Arnold Mayo, a member of the PNP-Special Action Force, who is being treated for burns at the Quezon Memorial Medical Center.

Cruz said that the PNP was also extending financial assistance to the families of Cris Daguio, Liza Grimaldo, and Special Action Force troopers Police Officer 2 Elizalde Bisaya, PO3 Jose Torralba who perished in the blast.

Meanwhile, Cruz said that they supported the investigation being conducted by the PNP-SAF and the Taguig City police, seeking to determine whether the Doctrine of Command Responsibility applied to Mayo, one of the three SAF troopers who brought the mortar round to the establishment to be defused.

PNP-SAF chief Director Catalino Uy was quoted in recent reports as saying that the SAF officers’ actions were unauthorized and would be investigated.