Three people, believed to be poll watchers, were injured in grenade explosions Monday night outside a school in Lamitan, Basilan where a municipal canvassing of votes for the nearby Sumisip town was being held.
Re-elected Lamitan Mayor Roderick Furigay believed the grenade attack outside the Lamitan Elementary School was election-related.
“It was really unfortunate for us here in Lamitan that we have been peaceful and here come these people bringing their senseless act,” Furigay said. The identities of the suspects or the victims were not immediately available.
As a result of the attacks, the canvassing was stopped and transferred to Isabela City.
Nick Castro, head security of Furigay who was with police investigators, said unidentified men hurled two fragmentation grenades at a kiosk where the victims were resting.
Furigay said that before the incident, he had asked the Commission on Elections in a letter to take steps to ease the tension among supporters of rival local candidates in Sumisip. He did not name the candidates. He said he received no response from the Comelec.
As a security precaution, Furigay said vehicles coming from adjacent towns were thoroughly checked and their passengers frisked.
“However, with all the access roads leading to Lamitan, the bad elements have managed to penetrate and carried out their evil plot,” Furigay said. – Roel Pareño