1 wounded in Maguindanao del Sur town hall grenade attack

INQUIRER FILES

COTABATO CITY- One person was wounded when several suspects lobbed three grenades which exploded in front of the municipal hall of Buluan,  Maguindanao del Sur on Friday evening.

Col. Ryan Bobby Paloma, Maguindanao del Sur police director, identified the victim as Jimmy Mamasalanang Mibpande, 31, of Tumbao village in nearby Mangudadatu town.

A car parked near the blast site and a nearby water refilling station incurred some damages.

Citing witnesses, Paloma said the suspects who lobbed the grenade were aboard a motorcycle.

The provincial and municipal police units are probing the incident with the help of the Provincial Explosives and Canine Unit (Pecu).

Paloma said that the 43rd Company of the Philippine National Police –  Special Action Force and troops from  the Army’s 21st Mechanized Company have launched pursuit operations since Friday.

“The security measures have been strengthened to ensure the safety of the public in coordination with other security forces in the area, while in depth investigation is ongoing,” Paloma said.

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) has condemned the attack that adds to the tension in the province and “undermines the community’s peace and security.”

Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, 6ID commander, said that the Joint Security Control Center and other mechanisms established by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), had already dispatched quick reaction teams to secure the incident area and assist the local police in their investigation.

“We advise the residents to remain calm, be vigilant and immediately report to local authorities any suspicious individuals,” Gumiran said.