2 dead in blast in police station

STA. CRUZ, Davao del Sur—At least two persons, including a retired policeman, were killed while four others were wounded in a grenade explosion inside the police station here Thursday.

Insp. Jamila Grace de Castro, Sta. Cruz police chief, said a supposedly deranged man, identified as Rey Salang, had been arrested after commandeering a bus in Barangay Zone 4 here.

He was found to be in possession of four grenades and a .45-cal. pistol.

Unknown to policemen, Salang still had another grenade in his pants, De Castro said.

When Salang was detained, he pulled out the grenade and threatened to set it off.

De Castro said Salang demanded that he be released or he would pull the grenade’s pin.

Negotiations, led by retired police officer David Bacun, a former classmate of Salang, failed and Salang threw the grenade from his cell.

Bacun died of blast injuries in a hospital while Salang was shot dead inside the station. Eldie Aguirre, Inquirer Mindanao