2 hurt in North Cotabato grenade attack

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Two teenagers were injured when an unidentified man tossed a hand grenade at a roadside snack bar in Carmen, North Cotabato Sunday night, police said.

Supt. Bernard Tayong, speaking for police in North Cotabato, identified the victims as Mariel Referente, 17, student, and Jaybe Gatila, 22, self-employed, both residents of Barangay Poblacion, Carmen, North Cotabato.

Police said the victims were taking snack at 7:55 p.m. at NR snack bar along Sayre National Highway, Purok 6, Poblacion Carmen, when a man tossed a hard object that hit the back of one of the victims.

The hard object turned out to be a fragmentation grenade and landed under the table then went off. The suspect fled by mingling with the crowd, police quoted witnesses as saying.

Responding village watchmen rushed the victims to Carmen Municipal Hospital.

Tayong ruled out terrorism as a possible motive. He added that police investigation continued./lb