One dead, two hurt in grenade explosion

CEBU, Philippines - A young man died while his father and neighbor were injured after a hand grenade reportedly exploded while two of them were drinking Tuesday night in Barangay Cagay, Barili, Cebu.

Renulfo Borres, 22, was pronounced dead on arrival at Barili District Hospital while his father Vicente, 51, was transferred to a hospital in Cebu City.

Their neighbor, Antonio Vergara, also landed in the hospital due to shrapnel wounds in the leg.

Vicente’s wife Florita, daughter Odeline, 35, and her live-in partner Arnel Paloma, 38, who were in the area during the explosion, survived unscathed.

Prior to the incident, Police Officer 3 Mark Fat of Barili Police Station said, Vicente and his son Renulfo were drinking outside their house together with Paloma, who had just arrived in Barili with Odeline, from Valencia, Bukidnon.

But after an hour, an explosion rocked the house, prompting Florita to rush outside. She then saw her husband and son lying on the ground with injuries all over their bodies. Vergara, who was nearby, was also wounded.

Relatives and neighbors rushed the victims to the district hospital, where Renulfo was declared dead on arrival.

Vicente was transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City as per doctors’ advice.

The live-in partners noticeably vanished after the incident and were even suspected by Florita to be behind the explosion.

Police later managed to get hold of the couple the following morning during a follow-up investigation.

Senior Inspector Julius Ompad, chief of Barili Police, said the couple executed an affidavit, saying they immediately ran towards the cornfield as they feared for another explosion.

The couple reportedly stayed at the house of Odeline’s aunt and only appeared the following morning, said Ompad.

Recalling what happened, Odeline, in her affidavit, said she noticed a spark near her brother’s chest before something fell to the ground.

She then heard an explosion and ran away with her live-in partner for safety.

Ompad said it was likely that Renulfo played with the grenade and accidentally pulled the safety pin, which triggered the spark and then the explosion.

Cebu Provincial Police Office director Noel Gillamac said they will coordinate with their counterpart in Valencia, Bukidnon to check the background of Paloma. — (FREEMAN)