For 3rd time, explosion hits Tondo police station

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District (MPD) Station 1 in Raxabago, Tondo was struck by another grenade explosion before midnight Tuesday – the third since April this year.

Two men on a motorcycle wearing black helmets lobbed the grenade at the back of the police station along Capulong street at around 11:40 p.m., said MPD Station 1 commander Superintendent Virgilio Viloria.

No one was hurt in the blast that damaged a parked motorcycle, Viloria said.

Senior Police Officer 3 Eric Delos Arcos, duty investigator, said they were inside the police station when they heard a loud explosion.

A closed-circuit television camera captured the motorcycle-riding assailants passing by the area prior to the blast.

Police suspect that the arrest of three men at the corner of Paulino and Moderna streets at around 5:30 p.m. had something to do with the latest grenade attack.

Police said Joel Dustiniano, 34; Datsun Velasco, 35, and Luigi Guittap, 24, were being interrogated when the explosion occurred.

Investigators said an MK2 fragmentation grenade was used by the suspects in the latest attack, similar to what was used in the grenade-throwing incident on Oct. 7.

A grenade was hurled in front of the same police station last April.