Tondo grenade thrower targeted Lim aide?

MANILA, Philippines – Police are looking into reports that Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim’s executive assistant was the target of grenade explosion in Tondo, Manila Saturday night that killed a two-year-old girl.

This developed as Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla formed yesterday Special Operations Task Group “Wagas” which will conduct the probe into the grenade-throwing incident along Wagas street in Tondo.

Initial investigation showed that retired policeman Olivio Arce, 65, was the target of the still unidentified suspect who lobbed the grenade.

In his statement, Arce said he was buying cigarettes at a store beside his house along Wagas street when the grenade landed beside his left foot. He said he ran into the store and dropped down on the floor as the grenade exploded.

The blast instead hit Hillary Benito and 13-year-old Maida Malinao. Benito died at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Hospital, while Malinao is under observation at the Mother and Child Hospital.

Rongavilla said the explosive device was an MK-2 fragmentation hand grenade.

Witnesses said the grenade thrower, who was wearing a black jacket and a striped bonnet, poked a gun at them when they tried to accost him. The suspect managed to flee from his pursuers, removing his jacket and shirt as he passed through the pier zone.    

Aside from the possible attack on Arce, the task group will also look into other motives for the grenade-throwing incident, Rongavilla said. – With Sandy Araneta