MPD nabs 1 of 4 suspects in April 28 Quiapo blast

MPD shows photo of one the suspects in April 28 Quiapo blast pic.twitter.com/wuTZcL5dJa

— Aie Balagtas See (@AieBalagtasSee) May 8, 2017

The Manila Police District (MPD) on Monday said it has in custody one of four principal suspects in the explosion that rocked Quiapo last April 28, which was timed with Manila’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit.

In a press briefing, MPD chief Joel Coronel presented a certain Abel Macaraya, who was arrested and detained for multiple frustrated murder and illegal possession of explosives.

Coronel said the incident was connected to the case of Macaraya’s brother in law, a male teenager who earlier filed a complaint with Barangay 391 chair Arnold Almario for child abuse and physical injuries after he was allegedly mauled by the Kahulugan brothers with the nicknames Bebot, Tangki and Komang.

READ: Explosion rocks Quiapo, injuring at least 11 people

“Dahil po dito, base sa aming pagsasaliksik, sa galit ng pamilya, dahil po sa masamang pagtrato na tinanggap ng kanyang kapatid na kinukundena ng kanilang pamilya, naisipan po nilang maghiganti,” Coronel said, adding that a case of violation of R.A. 7610 or the Child Abuse Law had already been lodged against the brothers.

(Because of this, based on our research, due to the family’s anger on the maltreatment of their sibling, they came up with revenge.)

Police said the teenager’s father went to the barangay hall to follow up on the complaint but the Kahulugan siblings did not appear. This prompted the father to look for the brothers on Quezon Boulevard, where he reportedly made threats against them.

On that night, a “homemade pipe bomb” exploded near the Tower Lodging House on Quezon Boulevard in Quiapo, injuring at least 14 people.

Coronel said the MPD was conducting follow-up operations for the arrest of three remaining suspects, with one going by the name of Raymond Mendoza. Authorities earlier noted that the attack was not connected to the Asean summit in Manila, saying it was just a neighborhood gang war.

Coronel maintained that terrorism was not a motive for the attack, noting that the explosive used was “low-type” and “simple” compared to complex ones being used by terror groups. Citing crime laboratory examination, he said the improvised homemade pipe bomb contained material commonly used in gunpowder in shotgun shells, readily available and can be easily assembled.

Coronel said all of the victims had been accounted for, while five remain in hospital for treatment. JE/rga