Sarangani governor vows justice for blast victims

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – Sarangani Gov. Migs Dominguez vowed to bring justice to the victims of twin grenade explosions that rocked the town plaza of the capital town of Maasim which was celebrating its 37th founding anniversary.

The blasts left one person dead (not three as earlier reported) and 32 others wounded.

“As I have been repeatedly saying, I abhor any form of violence, especially against civilians,” Dominguez said in a statement.

“We are here to live in peace and harmony. Whoever were behind the cowardly act are utterly wrong if their purpose is to sow fear and terrorize the people of Maasim and Sarangani,” he said.

Dominguez, who visited the victims at hospitals, said the provincial government will shoulder their hospital bills and provide food and transportation for the volunteer watchers.

Killed in the explosions was Gardo Rellon, a resident of the Maasim poblacion (town proper).

Chief Superintendent Jake Cataluna, Central Mindanao police director, said they are now conducting a deeper investigation to determine if the perpetrators are the same ones behind last year’s attack on the Maasim town hall, police station and public market.

Authorities have blamed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front unit led by a certain Commander Alo Binalo for that attack.

“This time what happen in (Maasim) is a grenade throwing… we must wait for the results of the investigation before we can divulge who the suspects are,” Cataluna told The STAR.

He admitted though that they got reports on threats of attacks in a number of places, including Malapatan town which is also celebrating its founding anniversary.

“Because of these threats, we have sent an augmentation team to Malapatan but there’s none in Maasim because of the local officials’ insistence on the presence of Army personnel,” he said.

An Army battalion was sent to Maasim to secure the construction of a $450-million, 200-megawat coal power plant being pushed by the Alcantara-controlled Conal Holdings Corp.

Maasim Mayor Aniceto Lopez confirmed the threats before the explosions, saying though that “they cannot stop us from celebrating our fiesta.”

“I’m so hopeful that the perpetrators could easily be identified by the authorities so the victims will get justice,” said Lopez, who led a “Walk for Peace” in his town last week. – With James Mananghaya