Terrorism ruled out in Baclaran explosion

Police investigators have ruled out terrorism as a motive in the grenade incident in Baclaran, Parañaque the other day, and are now eyeing the involvement of a robbery group known as the "Martilyo Gang."

Parañaque police chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla said yesterday six suspects have been detained in connection with the blast that left eight people dead and 30 others wounded.

"Definitely the blast was not a terrorist attack but the handiwork of robbers trying to escape pursuing lawmen," he pointed out.

The Martilyo Gang, he explained, is made up of Ilonggos and Bicolanos who use hammers in breaking glass panes when robbing jewelry stores.

Southern Police District director Senior Superintendent Manuel Cabigon said the six suspects have been placed under arrest and are detained at the Parañaque police headquarters.

The suspects were identified as Henry Evidor, 33, a fisherman from Camarines Norte; Ariel Moreno, 23, a shopping mall maintenance employee from Dasmariñas, Cavite; Ramil Selveo, 35, a fisherman from Camarines Norte; Najir Ampuan, 25 of Marawi; and Bartolome Jandines and Jun de Guzman, both of San Mateo, Rizal.

Cabigon said four of the suspects have been positively identified by sales ladies and security guards of the ITM Shopping Center, which is located a few meters from the Light Railway Transit station in Baclaran.

Six armed men wearing black bonnets robbed a jewelry store at the second floor of the shopping center at around 4:40 p.m. Sunday and gunned down a security guard who tried to stop them.

When the robbers stepped out of the shopping center, they were immediately confronted by responding policemen, prompting them to lob a grenade to divert the lawmen's attention. The explosion occurred as thousands of people were attending Palm Sunday Mass at the nearby Redemptorist Church.

Rongavilla said police probers were now gathering evidence and taking statements from those wounded by the blast as well as other witnesses.

"Hopefully we can immediately file multiple homicide and multiple frustrated homicide charges against the suspects under our custody," he said.

The fatalities of the grenade blast include 39-year-old Eliza Rebato, a vendor; Arnel Cajandab, the mall security guard; and a certain Raquim Mauyag.

Three more of the eight fatalities were identified yesterday, namely: Henjie Torres, 4; Rosalie Fresco, 24; and Randy Cruz.

Rebato and Cajandab were declared dead on arrival at the nearby Sta. Rita Hospital where most of the wounded were also taken before they were transferred to various hospitals, including the Philippine General Hospital and the San Juan de Dios Hospital.

Two Parañaque policemen, PO2 Rick Macaraeg and PO1 Anthony Alising, who were manning an outpost close to the blast site under the LRT terminal, sustained shrapnel wounds. --