3 grenade blasts at Maguindanao town hall failed to disrupt voting

ELECTION IN MAGUINDANAO:  Soldiers are seen outside a public-market turned polling center in Datu Unsay town in Maguindanao, May 9, 2016. Scenes like this are common in Mindanao, particularly Maguindanao province.  PHOTO BY JEOFFREY MAITEM / INQUIRER MINDANAO

COTABATO CITY – Three grenade explosions rocked the town hall of Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao, on Monday afternoon, but voting was not interrupted, police said.

Senior Insp. Ronald de Leon, spokesperson for the police in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNP-ARMM), said the rifle grenade attacks came in succession at past 1 p.m.

Nobody was hurt in the attack.

De Leon said voting in nearby Sultan Mastura Elementary School in Barangay Tapayan, Sultan Mastura, continued despite the explosions. He assured the public police and soldiers were securing the vicinity of voting center.

The first two grenades, believed to be fired through an M-203 grenade launcher, landed in the rice fields near the municipal hall compound.

The third grenade, landed beside the office of municipal social welfare office. Shrapnel marks were visible beside the building.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.  SFM