NBP blast linked to drug lords’ rivalry

MANILA, Philippines - Investigators are looking at a Chinese drug lord detained at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) as the possible target of a hand grenade that went off in the state penitentiary and hurt six inmates last Friday.

A source from NBP told The STAR that the “target” drug lord is engaged in a business rivalry with another Chinese drug lord, also detained in NBP.

“He lowered his prices so the rival drug lord became angry when his regular clients switched,” the source said.

It is not clear, however, if the “rival” drug lord was aware of the plan to kill the other. The source said the “rival’s” right hand man, who is also Chinese, could be behind last Friday’s incident.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Manuel Co said the investigation is centered on drug syndicates.

In a separate interview, Co said he does not believe that the blast was caused by a gang war, which was earlier considered one of the possible motives in the incident. “That is my personal observation because I talked to all the gang leaders and we did not detect any conflict among them,” he said.

When asked about other motives, Co said: “Drug syndicate. That is the only other reason I see.”

Victims are ‘bodyguards’

The “target” drug lord was jogging at about 5:55 a.m. on Friday with his “bodyguards,” who are also detainees of NBP’s maximum security compound, when someone lobbed a grenade at them.

The target himself was unscathed but his six “bodyguards,” who were behind him, sustained minor injuries: Jeric Diogilo was hurt in the nose and upper chest; Cabas Lastimoso, right calf; and Ronnie Franco, a contusion in the right forearm. Also hurt were Nilo Garin, Fernando Montemayor, and Eddie Boy Oson.

Based on surveillance camera footage, the grenade thrower was also jogging behind the group. He slowed down as he pulled the safety pin from the explosive. When the victims were about 20 yards away, he lobbed the grenade and walked away.

The grenade hit the back of one of the joggers, bounced off a concrete box used as a bench by inmates then exploded.

FBI to help probe

Authorities have yet to identify the grenade thrower, who was seen covering his face with a towel in the surveillance footage.

Co said the Federal Bureau of Investigation offered to enhance the camera footage, which according to NBP, was not clear enough to identify the grenade thrower.

The NBP, which is under the supervision of BuCor, has yet to identify the inmate they placed under custody in connection with the blast.  “We cannot disclose that yet because of the ongoing investigation,” Co said.