Sparks lead to discovery of grenade taped to car

A hand grenade was found taped to the car of a real estate company employee Tuesday night in Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City. Police said the MK2-type grenade had a “crude timing device” and was attached to the rear of a Honda Civic owned by Jonathan Gabriel, which was then parked at the office of FH Manere Property Group Inc. at the corner of Matahimik Street and V. Luna Avenue.

When discovered, the explosive had six matchsticks and a lighted cigarette pressed against it using rubber bands, according to SPO2 Eric Lazo of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit. A security guard first noticed something giving off sparks at the car’s rear when a coworker was about to move the vehicle to another parking slot shortly before midnight. Upon closer look, the sparks turned out to be from a lighted cigarette attached to a grenade. Lazo said the grenade, with the safety lever already removed, could explode if the matchsticks were ignited.

On Monday morning, an MK2 grenade was also found inside the men’s toilet at the Quezon City compound of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on East Avenue. Jeannette I. Andrade