Father, son hurt in Valenzuela blast

A driver and his four-year-old son were seriously injured when an M2O3 rifle grenade the boy was playing with exploded inside their house in in Valenzuela City.

Leonardo Samonte Jr., of 4008 Que Grande street in Barangay Ugong, and his son Jaynard were wounded in different parts of the body. SPO3 Jess Saguisi said that both are now out of danger.

Leonardo was reportedly watching television in their sala when he observed Jaynard toying with the grenade. Before he could warn the boy, Leonardo saw his son throw the grenade to their pet dog.

The grenade went off, instantly killing the dog and leaving Samonte and his son wounded. The blast also shattered almost everything inside Samonte’s house.

Probers said the grenade was given to the boy by his uncle, Ariel Samonte, 21, who found it in front of their house on Oct. 5 hours after the Valenzuela City police engaged heavily armed robbers in a running gunbattle in the area.

The grenade was believed to have been left by the fleeing robbers. – Pete Laude