8 hurt in Maguindanao grenade explosions
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao, Philippines – Eight persons were hurt when a series of grenade explosions hit the area near the town hall of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao at past 7 p.m. on Sunday, the eve of the polls.
The victims are now undergoing medication at Maguindanao Provincial Hospital in nearby Datu Hofer town, also in Maguindanao, according to
Col. Jibin Bongcayao, chief of the Maguindanao Provincial Police Office.
He said four explosions hit Datu Unsay town and another one hit nearby Shariff Aguak town.
Nobody was hurt in the Shariff Aguak blast, town administrator Anwar Emblawa said.
Bongcayao said police probers were still determining the identities of the attackers.
The grenade explosions, believed to be from M-79 launchers, were fired during a power service interruption in the adjacent towns of Datu Unsay, Shariff Aguak, and Datu Hofer.
No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts but it could be election-related, a police officer in Datu Unsay said.
He added that some of those injured were teachers awaiting the release of vote-counting machines and supporters of local candidates. But police had not confirmed their identities.
Datu Unsay is one of the election hot spots identified by police in Maguindanao for Monday’s election. Nine others in Maguindanao are also categorized as hot spot areas – red category.
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