KORONADAL CITY – Eight people were wounded in a grenade attack at a carnival in Tacurong City late Saturday.
Police said the suspect, wearing a dark baseball cap, hurled a grenade at a group of people attending the nighttime carnival and fled shortly before the blast.
“People thought at first that the man had just tossed a ball that appeared to be olive green. They realized it was a grenade when they heard a powerful explosion,” Tacurong police chief Superintendent Benhur Mongao said.
Police identified the eight victims as Joylen Francisco, 19; Rio Delgado, 27; Janice Atanoso, 23; Alma Macabodbod, 55; Nasser Manginyog, 24; Pogi Utto Dituas, 26; Bando Kanyang, 31 and Arman Dinggal Astrallado.
The attack forced the city government to order the suspension of operations of the carnival center.
Police, on the other hand, implemented tighter security measures around the city even as residents prepared for their fiesta next week.
Security forces have launched a manhunt for the suspect said to be a member of a renegade group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said there have been persistent intelligence reports that renegade MILF forces in Tacurong and other towns in Sultan Kudarat were behind the attack.
“These renegade MILF forces… suffered heavy loses in recent encounters with soldiers running after them so they are bent on perpetrating retaliations,” Ando said.
Ando said Col. Marlou Salazar, the commander of the Army’s 601st Brigade has been tasked to lead the manhunt and help the police identify the suspects.
Salazar, for his part, said he is convinced that renegade MILF forces were behind the attack as a diversionary tactic.
“These rebel forces are known for their diversionary attacks meant to divert the attention of government forces running after them. We will not stop from running after them,” Salazar said.
The attack came a few days after a grenade also exploded in General Santos City, leaving 22 people injured.
Authorities are yet to determine the perpetrators in the New Year’s Eve grenade attack but the military said this could be connected to an earlier incident at a police detachment in the city.
One was killed and two others were also wounded in an explosion in the attempt to attack a police outpost in the boundary of President Quirino town and Tacurong last week.
Salazar said renegade MILF forces identified with Ameril Umbra Kato are also bent on intensifying their “foraging missions” in remote farming communities in Central Mindanao to raise money and gather food for their comrades being chased by soldiers in Maguindanao. – With John Unson, James Mananghaya