Grenade blast hurts 5 in Cotabato

MATALAM, North Cotabato – At least five persons were wounded when a grenade exploded here Friday evening, the police said.

Chief Insp. Sonny Leoncito, Matalam police chief, said the grenade explosion took place around 11 p.m. near the town’s rotunda on the Davao-Cotabato highway and injured tricycle driver Macmod Kanakan, 24 and a resident of Barangay Kilada here; and his passengers, Dandan Alam, 28 and Datu Dilangalen, 32 – both of Datu Montawal town in Maguindanao; Gerardo Peralta Jr. of Makilala, North Cotabato; and Sharon Diaz, 35, also of this town.

All the victims, who sustained shrapnel injuries, were rushed to the North Cotabato provincial hospital in Kidapawan City.

Leoncito said the police believed that Kanakan was the target of the two motorcycle-riding men, who tossed the explosive while the tricycle was heading for the town center.

But Kanakan had told police he has no known enemies.

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