9 hurt in Surigao grenade attack

Nine civilians were wounded in a Friday evening grenade attack staged by an unidentified suspect in Claver, Surigao del Norte, the military reported yesterday. An unidentified person lobbed the grenade into a public area.

Major Armand Rico, Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) spokesman identified the casualties in the blast as Santos Santillan, 55; Rolando Perallas, 28; Jerry Guir, 37; Jerelou Dagasdas, 14; Reman Parian, 18; Ralph John Evangelio, 13; Kenneth Allocod, 14; Roland Patac, 14; and Michael Blancada, 21.

The explosion caused panic and wounded nine people, he said, adding that the suspect has not been caught and the motive for the attack is unknown.

The explosion came amid tightened security in Mindanao, where the military has been locked in intense gunbattles with Muslim separatist rebels since August.

Dozens have been killed in the fighting with the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

More than half a million people have also been forced to flee the battles, which began just days after the Supreme Court halted a deal that would have given the MILF control over a Muslim autonomous area.

Except for Santillan who comes from Dipolog City and Guir who comes from Surigao City, the victims are all residents of Sitio Capangdan, Barangay Urbiztondo, Claver town.

Rico said they are looking into reports that the grenade attack was an NPA hit turned wrong when their partisan member tasked to carry out the job, mistook a group of men gathered in the area at about 8:20 p.m. the other night, to be the targets.

According to Rico, there were reports that the insurgents have been harassing and targeting several villagers in the area for their open defiance to support their taxation or extortion activities.

“Naguumpukan lang at nagkakasayahan ang mga biktima ng bigla silang hinagisan ng granada ng isang dumaraan na tao. Pati tuloy ang mga bata nadamay,” Rico said.

The victims are now confined at the district hospital in Claver town.

Along with the local Claver police, elements of the 30th Infantry Battalion were dispatched to track down the suspect, whom Rico said, was a familiar face in the locality.