Ex-gov's farm rocked by grenade explosion

Sto Tomas, Batangas – Residents here were astounded when a fragmentation grenade exploded in front of former Batangas governor Arman Sanchez’s farm gate at Barangay Sta.Ana Sunday evening, police said.

Superintendent Manuel Manalo, Sto. Tomas police chief said they received a phone call from Barangay Captain Edgardo Calinisan of the said barangay to inform them about the explosion a few steps away from Sanchez’s farm gate around 10:30 p.m.

In an investigation, witnesses said prior to the explosion, two unidentified men on board a motorcycle were seen roaming around the vicinity.

Former barangay captain Mario Masa was also at the area aboard his Wrangler jeep when the explosion occured, police said.

Masa said they recovered pieces of grenade shrapnels from the site and have yet to turn it over to police investigators.

Police said no one was reported hurt on the incident but investigators continue to gather evidences to establish the motive and the persons behind the explosion.

“Even the strongest words of condemnation are not enough to describe last night’s explosive attack on the farm of Gov. Armando Sanchez, coming as it does in the wake of Sanchez’s personal appeal early last week to the Department of Justice to speed up the investigation of the double murder and frustrated murder charges against former vice governor Richard Recto and his co-conspirators, after the Court of Appeals has thumbed-down the respondents’ request to halt the probe,” Ferdinand Topacio, lawyer for Sanchez said.

Topacio said those responsible for the murder of two innocent men and serious injuries to Gov. Sanchez three years ago, panicking at the thought that the truth will be exposed, are trying to show that they will stop at nothing to sow terror and fear to cover up the truth and to thwart the ends of justice, he also said.