3 kids slain in grenade blast in Surigao del Sur

DAVAO CITY-Three children were killed in a grenade explosion in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, the military said Tuesday.

Capt. Rodulfo Cordero, spokesperson of the Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade based in Agusan del Sur, said the incident took place at the house of a Reger Galdiano in Sitio Nepture in Barangay Diatagon around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Cordero said soldiers under the 75th Infantry Battalion and members of the Lianga police immediately went to the area and conducted an investigation.

It turned out that one of the victims, three-year-old Renz Galdiano, had gotten hold of, and toyed with an M203 grenade launcher ammunition, which eventually exploded.

The child was killed along with his sibling, Reden, one-year-old; and Rynna Tui, 12 years old.

Cordero said the Galdiano patriarch was being investigated to determine where and how he was able to acquire an M203 ammunition.

Lieutenant Colonel Jaime Datuin, 75th IB commander, said the incident showed that civilians should not keep explosives in their homes.

He advised civilians to hand over to authorities any explosive, ammunition or illegal firearm they might have possessed.