7 hurt in Parañaque blast

Seven persons were wounded after a fragmentation grenade exploded in a Parañaque City bar shortly after midnight yesterday.

Among those hurt was Mark Anthony Dimaano, 23, the son of one of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon’s security aides.

He is being treated at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Hospital for shrapnel wounds sustained during the blast.

The other victims are Earl Patrick Diaz, 21; KC Estuita, 20; Rolando Patilla, 23; Angelo Bautista, 25; Juan Paolo Cartagen, 28; and Diether Ortiz, 33.

Chief Inspector Enrique Sy, Parañaque Police Community Precinct 3 commander, said the incident happened at around 12:30 a.m.

According to him, the victims were in the Rewind KTV bar and restaurant located along Doña Soledad Extension, Barangay Don Bosco, when the suspect, wearing a ski mask, opened the door and threw the grenade.

“The suspect had a specific target. He got off his vehicle, walked towards the bar, and threw the grenade wrapped in a handkerchief towards the table being occupied by Dimaano and his group,” Sy told The STAR in an interview, quoting eyewitness accounts.

The suspect then boarded his black Nissan Exalta (RSM-777) and fled the scene along with a second vehicle, a red Toyota Corolla.

Sy said both vehicles sped towards the direction of Multinational Village in Parañaque and disappeared seconds after the incident.

“We checked the license plate. The original owner sold it in 2002. We are now trying to determine who the present owner is,” he said.

He assured that his men are conducting follow-operations against the suspect and his cohorts who might have had a feud with Dimaano’s group.

“We are conducting follow-up operations,” Sy said, noting that three of those wounded have already been discharged from the hospital.