Ex-cop tagged in blast at mayoral bet’s house

MANILA, Philippines - A former policeman is the subject of a manhunt for allegedly throwing a grenade at a house of a Lanao del Sur mayoral candidate in San Andres Bukid, the Manila Police District (MPD) said yesterday.

A witness identified Jamal Lacsaman as the man responsible for the explosion at the house of Baswali Alawiya on Alabastro street. Lacsaman was with the MPD’s district headquarters support unit until he was dismissed from service a couple of years ago.

Lacsaman, according to the MPD, left his last known address in San Andres Bukid and is believed to be hiding somewhere in the southern part of the country.

MPD officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Robert Po said Alawiya, 40, is running for mayor of Malundo under the United Nationalist Alliance.

Po said no one was hurt in the incident but the explosion damaged the garage.

Asraf Mugni, the house’s caretaker, said they were awakened by the explosion at around 4 a.m. He said they did not see the persons responsible for the explosion, but suspect that it could have been politically motivated.

Po said he has ordered a thorough investigation of the case and the arrest of the grenade-thrower.