Blast fails to disrupt Baguio festival

BAGUIO CITY , Philippines  â€“ A grenade explosion inside the office of the Baguio City Volunteers Against Crime (BCAVC) yesterday morning failed to disrupt the Panagbenga Flower Festival, according to police officials.

Three people who were inside the BCVAC office located at the basement of Melvin Jones Grandstand, Burnham Park were wounded when the grenade exploded at 6:45 a.m.

Panagbenga activities continued throughout the day.

Senior Superintendent Jesus Cambay Jr., Baguio City Police Office director, identified the victims as Gilbert Salvador, 29; Joseph Espada, 49; and Genard Palomique, 33, all residents of Baguio City.

They sustained minor leg and back injuries and were treated at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Initial investigation showed that an unidentified suspect threw an MK-2 fragment grenade into the office.

Richard Espejo, a BCVAC volunteer, said one of the victims ran after the suspect but lost him in the crowd of spectators who were watching the floral parade.

BCAVC volunteers said the suspect could be one of the pickpockets victimizing spectators that they earlier cornered.

Probers are now interviewing witnesses to identify the suspect and determine the motive.

Cambay denied speculations that the incident was a terrorist act and could be related to the on-going Baguio Flower Festival.

Meanwhile, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said they do not know if President Aquino has been informed of the incident.

Speaking in her regular weekend interview over government-run radio station dzRB, Valte clarified that it has always been the protoco” of security officials “to update the President as soon as possible on any incidents like this” – hinting, without admitting, that Aquino may have been made aware of the grenade explosion.

She said the Palace has yet to receive a security assessment of the incident, and that they are still waiting for feedback from the ground.

“We’re getting more details. I understand that the victims were already rushed to the hospital and are being monitored,” Valte said. – With Delon Porcalla, Alexis Romero, Artemio Dumlao