Grenade-lobbing incident traced to failed love affair

CEBU, Philippines - The alleged mastermind in the grenade attack that left a 56-year-old man injured last Wednesday evening at the corner of F. Llamas and Tres de Abril Streets, Barangay Punta Princesa was arrested about three hours after the incident.

Police investigation revealed that the suspect, Freddie Villanueva Estoesta, 50, hired a killer to avenge him (Estoesta) after he was allegedly abandoned by Mamerto Cuyag’s daughter.

Estoesta allegedly hired the service of Edwin Florida to throw a grenade into the house of Cuyag that consequently injured the latter on his right foot and thigh when the grenade exploded outside his house.

Punta Princesa Police Station personnel led by Chief Gilberto Abellar, Sr., arrested Florida when he was seen running away from the scene of the incident. Three hours later, Estoesta was also nabbed through an entrapment operation with the joint operation of the City Intelligence Branch and Special Weapons and Tactics team.

The police conducted the entrapment after the discovery of a text message on Florida’s cellular phone sent by a person codenamed “Shark” inquiring if he has done the job.

Abellar reportedly instructed his personnel to reply to the message until they finally decided to meet “Shark” at Sugbu Homes at the South Reclamation Area.

Estoesta, a resident of Basak Pardo, was arrested and police recovered from him a cellular phone used as his contact to Florida, who was using the codename “Tiger.”

City police director Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador believed there is a syndicate involved in illegal drugs backing up Florida, who was reportedly involved in a shooting incident last July 15 in barangay Duljo Fatima.

But he said the issue on love affair was seen as the biggest angle in the said grenade attack, though it was denied by the suspects.

He added that based on the information he received, Estoesta was abandoned by Cuyag’s daughter, but the suspect chose to hurt the family instead of the girl because it was allegedly the family that caused their break up.

The CCPO director also said he received a report that Estoesta, a former member of the Philippine Navy and a “demolition expert” (that’s why he owned a grenade), had spent a lot of money for the girl.

The police will also check if the suspects were the ones behind last May 15 incident wherein Cuyag’s house was gutted by fire. Firefighters allegedly recovered plastic containers that smelled of kerosene.

A charge for frustrated murder was filed against Florida while a charge for participation by induction was filed against Estoesta who are now both under police detention. — Niña G. Sumacot/WAB   (THE FREEMAN)