Man killed; wife loses leg

MANILA, Philippines -  A man died while his common-law wife’s leg was amputated after a grenade exploded in their Makati City residence before dawn yesterday.

Rodrigo Valido, 35, died while undergoing treatment at Ospital ng Makati, said city police chief Senior Superintendent Froilan Bonifacio. Ladyleine Rodrigo, 24, remains unconscious after undergoing surgery to remove her leg. Other reports state both her legs were amputated.

Case investigator Police Officer 3 Jason David said an MK-2 fragmentation grenade exploded in the couple’s room along 9th Avenue in East Rembo at about 5:30 a.m.

Valido’s mother, Rosalinda, woke up when she heard the blast and discovered the couple. She is in shock and could not be interviewed, Bonifacio said.

What led to the incident is still unknown but Bonifacio said the blast was “self-inflicted” because “the grenade’s safety lever was found inside the room and its pin was on the woman’s clothes.”

“If it was thrown from the outside, the lever should have been far from the scene. But it’s in the seat of the explosion,” David said, but added that it is “too early” to draw conclusions.

The couple was not seen fighting the night before the explosion but police were told the couple quarrel quite frequently “because the woman… easily (becomes) jealous,” Bonifacio said. 

He said they will wait until Rodrigo gains consciousness to find out what led to the blast. Police will also look into how the couple obtained a grenade.