5 wounded in Maguindanao grenade attack

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Two Army soldiers and three civilians were wounded when unidentified motorcycle-riding men hurled a grenade at a military convoy in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur yesterday morning.

Cpls. Jessie Jay Bulanay and Arnel Calapan, both of the Army’s 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion, suffered shrapnel wounds in the knee and hand, respectively.

Bulanay and Calapan were rushed to the Bangsamoro Regional Hospital and Medical Center along with civilian victims Bassir Batong, Pamiya Bulingkig and John Dave Santiago.

Police said the civilians, who were in a tricycle when the grenade exploded in Barangay Mother Poblacion, suffered shrapnel wounds in the chest, arms and shoulders.

Investigation showed the convoy of two military trucks was headed to Isulan in Sultan Kudarat for a routine marketing mission.

Video footage of a closed-circuit television camera installed along the highway showed the second truck swerving before the grenade exploded.

Witnesses said the suspects, who were wearing black and green shirts, and denim pants, sped away after tossing the grenade.

Probers said they recovered a grenade safety lever near the scene of the attack.

Police set up road blocks and checkpoints to prevent the suspects from leaving the town.

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division said there were indications that members of local terrorist group Dawlah Islamiya could be behind the attack.