SAF chief: Grenade attack intentional, not accidental

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 26): SAF chief: Grenade attack intentional, not accidental

Military authorities have maintained the rifle grenade explosion at the corner of Sinsuat Avenue and Rosales Street on Nov. 14 that hurt two soldiers was not accidental but “clearly” intentional.

“We maintain it was not accidental, it was really intentional,” said Colonel Ranulfo Sevilla, commander of the Army Special Forces Battalion whose unit is helping the Cotabato City police safeguard the city from lawless elements.

“In fairness to Supt. Supiter, my presumption was he was given an incomplete report by police investigators,” Sevilla said on Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, Cotabato City police director, statement that the grenade came from the soldiers and not fired from outside.

“I talked to him and the police chief was retracting that report,” Sevilla added.

Speaking during the Cotabato City Council session Tuesday, Supiter told councilors the blast was accidental.

Supiter said based on witnesses accounts, the 40 mm grenade came from one of the soldiers who accidentally fired his grenade launcher. He added initial investigation showed that no motorcycle riding men fired the rifle grenade in the 6:20 p.m. blast.

But Supiter admitted he based his statement on the testimonies of the witnesses. Police investigators are yet to receive statement from the two wounded soldiers.

He said the soldier carrying an M-79 launcher could have been stunned when the military truck he was riding was bumped by a cargo truck from behind.

Sevilla said it was impossible for his men to have accidentally fired an M-79 grenade launcher since soldiers on patrol do not carry grenade launcher.

Second, he said, the injured soldiers are still recuperating. They will soon issue a statement.

Earlier, Sevilla blamed Ruben Montes alias Black Moro to be behind the attack on his men after the SAF neutralized Montes' followers in a shootout along SK Pendatun Avenue, Cotabato City in September.

He also revealed in media interviews that Montes is being coddled by an elected city official. He did not name the official.

The SF battalion chief stressed there was no truth to reports a gap exists between Special Forces and the Cotabato City PNP.

“No misunderstanding between us...there is only simple miscommunication...and there is a group spreading divisiveness among us,” Sevilla said.

“We are all law enforcers and coordination and cooperation are basic in us,” he added.

“Security responsibility is not the sole job of law enforcers but all, local govt and the public,” he said. “Di lang naman kami ang pwede maging biktima baka kayo ay maging biktima rin....if you know something, alert the police or us so action can be taken immediately effectively,” Sevilla said.

Sevilla stressed Ruben Montes aka Black Moro is behind these attacks because he has acts to grind against the soldiers over legitimate police law enforcement.

Montes and three of his men engaged soldiers in a gun battle along SK Pendatun Avenue in October after they allegedly killed a motorist near the spot where soldiers were conducting checkpoints.

Montes’ wife and two followers were killed in the shootout. Arrested for possession of two guns, Montes was detained but was released on Nov. 13 after posting property bond.

Sevilla blamed Montes’ group in the rash of bombings. He said the next day after his release, his group fired rifle grenade at the Cotabato Light compound that triggered city wide brownout followed by a rifle grenade attack on an Army KM-450 truck along Sinsuat Avenue that hurt two soldiers and two civilians.

Another grenade was found in front of Cafe Florencio bingo center.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=831434