MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — A grenade exploded at the residence of an official of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Friday.
No one was reported hurt, but Chief Inspector Esmael Madin and his family members evacuated their home in Barangay Bulalo, Sultan Kudarat.
The incident also triggered panic among villagers.
Initial investigation showed motorcycle-riding men hurled the grenade at the frontyard and sped off toward an unknown direction as the grenade went off.
Madin is the head of the CIDG office in Maguindanao and spokesman of the CIDG in ARMM.
Madin said he believes drug gangs were behind the grenade attack, citing a text message he received a few hours after the incident.
“Patikim pa lang yan,” the text message sent to Madin read.
Madin led anti-drug operations that resulted in the arrest of ”high-value”drug traffickers and wanted crime suspects in Maguindanao.
Madin said he would not be cowed by threats to his life even as he vowed to continue to discharge his duties.