5 hurt in North Cotabato grenade attack

COTABATO CITY – Five persons – including a special child – were injured when an unidentified man lobbed a hand grenade at a house in Carmen, North Cotabato – where a village official was dining with friends Friday night, police said.

Chief Inspector Julius Malcontento, the Carmen town police chief, said the grenade attack transpired at a house in Purok (zone) Pag-asa in Barangay (village) Gen. Luna around 6:45 p.m.

Injured were David Orteza, 50; Joel Aragon; Henry Nobleza, 54; a 15-year old special child, all residents of Barangay Gen. Luna; and Armando Aquino, 51, of Barangay Aringay, Kabacan, North Cotabato.

Malcontento said Barangay Gen. Luna chair Renato Ortiz Jr. and the victims were having dinner at the house of a Larry Mundo in Purok Pag-asa when a lone suspect arrived and lobbed the grenade.

The village official was unhurt.

“Our initial finding shows it was triggered by land dispute involving one of the victims and the attacker,” Malcontento said.

Responding police, Malcontento said, ran after but failed to catch the suspect.