1 dead, 21 wounded as man lobs grenade at Sultan Kudarat party

ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat—A 15-year-old boy was killed while 21 others were wounded after an armed man barged into a birthday party and threw a grenade at them in Lambayong town, Sultan Kudarat province, on Wednesday night, police said.

Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, provincial police director, said Jerome Balaba confronted the suspect after noticing that he was acting suspiciously outside the house of the Manzano family in Barangay Palumbe, where the party was being held.

The suspect, who was wearing a face mask, pulled out a .45-caliber gun and shot and killed Balaba.

Supiter said the gunman then threw a grenade at an area where party guests were staying. The suspect fled on a motorcycle. —EDWIN O. FERNANDEZ