Grenade blast rocks Cotabato Marine detachment

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 27): Grenade blast rocks Cotabato Marine detachment

Cotabato City -- Two men riding tandem on a motorbike tossed a hand grenade at the detachment of the 1st Marine Battalion Landing Team at the corner of Don Rufino Alonzo Avenue and Roman Vilo Street here Wednesday night, police said.

Nobody was hurt in the 7:00 p.m. grenade attack which exploded few meters away from the Marine detachment, according to Supt. Rolen Balquin, city police director.

Responding policemen recovered the grenade safety lever near the old city hall which has been used as Marine detachment.

Master Sgt. Abela Castro and Cpl. Job Vargas of the 31st Marine company were inside the detachment when one of two suspects riding on a motorbike without license plate tossed the grenade and fled.

Marines and police invited for questioning a certain Elpidio Alarde, 34, of PC Hill, Cotabato City relative to the grenade throwing incident. He was later released.

Major Danilo Pacundo, speaking for the Marines, said the grenade attack could be the handiwork of lawless elements whose illegal activities have been checked by the Marine operatives.

Pacundo said the grenade attack will not stop the Marines from helping the police in implementing laws against lawlessness in the city.

Part of the Marine Battalion was deployed in Cotabato City and its environs to thwart kidnapping activities in 2012.

Kidnap for ransom gangs have been preying on Filipino-Chinese traders.

Since its deployment in the city and in the towns of Datu Odin Sinsuat and Datu Blah Sinsuat, both in Maguindanao, kidnapping activities have been stopped.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=538518