Rifle grenade blast hurts 2 farmers in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 30): Rifle grenade blast hurts 2 farmers in Maguindanao

Two farmers in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town were hospitalized when a rifle grenade exploded near them early Friday morning.

Citing police reports from the Datu Saudi Ampatuan police office, Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, police director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said the explosion occurred at past 5 a.m.

The Datu Saudi Ampatuan municipal police office identified the victims as Amir Bangon and Mohammad Lagasan, both residents of Barangay Madia.

Accordingly, the duo initially heard some explosions a few kilometers away from their homes. They then noticed that a hard object landed on a nearby rice field and exploded seconds later.

Both Bangon and Lagasan sustained shrapnel injuries in their legs and bodies and are now confined at a hospital in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.

Mijares said investigators were trying to determine where the M-79 grenade was fired from and who was behind it.

The town is within the so-called “SPMS” box, where the IS-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) operates.

SPMS is the term used by the Army to refer to the towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi), Mamasapano and Saydona towns in Maguindanao.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1039964