Grenade thrown at House leader’s residence

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:46 p.m.) — A grenade was thrown at the residence of House Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez in Barangay Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro City past Wednesday midnight.

Rodriguez told Philstar.com that the grenade was lobbed in front of his house at 1:12 a.m. by two people onboard a motorcycle.

In a separate statement, the Rodriguez family said they are safe and no one was harmed from the attack.

“Lives were put at risk in the grenade attack at the ancestral residence of the Rodriguez family in Barangay Nazareth in Cagayan de Oro City earlier today,” the Rodriguez family said. “We condemn in the strongest terms this act of violence perpetrated by unknown men.”

[A] The official statement of the Rodriguez family in light of the grenade attack earlier today at their ancestral residence in Cagayan de Oro City. pic.twitter.com/nfYRfcNKEc

— Rufus B. Rodriguez (@RepRufus) September 29, 2021

They said that authorities are currently investigating the incident.

The family added that Rodriguez and Councilor Bebot Rodriguez will continue offering services from their respective offices despite the attack.

The Commission on Human Rights also condemned the incident, calling it a "threat against the personal safety and security of an elected official and his family in the most despicable manner."

"Apart from endangering the lives of residents, such violent incident desecrates the sense of peace and security that every individual has the right to enjoy within the safety of [their] own home," CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement.

The incident occurred just two days before the filing of candidacies before the Commission on Elections. — Xave Gregorio with a report from Gaea Katreena Cabico