A local government official in Iligan City has discounted the possibility that a grenade explosion in the public plaza Wednesday evening that slightly injured three teenagers was connected with the terrorist Maute Group.
“I don't think so, although it was reported earlier that Iligan is one of the places they want to bomb,” city administrator Dexter Sumaoy told Interaksyon.com in a phone interview when asked who may have been involved in the explosion.
Sumaoy further allayed fears that the incident could be the handiwork of the terrorists.
The Maute Group has lost 63 of its fighters as the military continued its offensive against the extemists in neighboring Lanao del Sur.
“As we initially assessed it's not terrorism. It was some kind of just to scare the public because if it is terrorism bakit doon inilagay sa lugar na hindi naman pinag-uumpukan ng mga tao? Ang aming plaza ay palaging matao everyday,” Sumaoy said.
He said the three teenagers were about 20 meters away when the explosion happened at around 6:30 p.m. about 500 meters from the Police Station. 5.
“The site of the explosion was in between the PS5 and Philippine National Bank. The grenade was placed in between two electric posts,” Sumaoy said.
Fortunately no one was killed by the explosion but three teenagers were slightly wounded by shrapnel - two boys and a girl.
“I've yet to get their names as rescuers rushed them to the nearest hospital for medical treatment,” Sumaoy said.
Sumaoy said the two male victims were students but he was still checking if they were from the Iligan Medical Center College (IMMC).
Sumaoy said that a day before the explosion, a police operation reportedly netted a Muslim personality.
“Wala pa akong detalye kung anong operasyon. Aalamin ko pa,” he admitted.
http://interaksyon.com/article/135052/maute-group-not-involved-in-iligan-grenade-blast-that-hurts-3-teens-official
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