Cash-strapped soldiers hurl grenade at a construction supply firm

A group of cash-strapped soldiers intending to deliver an explosive Easter message to a military insurance firm mistakenly lobbed yesterday a hand-grenade at a construction supply compound in Quezon City.

The galvanized rooftop of Top Line Metals Inc. and a parked vehicle were damaged severely by the grenade hurled by miffed soldiers, whose respective loan applications were all denied before the Holy Week. No deaths or injuries were reported.

According to operatives of the Central Police District (CPD), the bomb-throwers were soldiers angry with a military insurance firm "after they were denied loans."

Police denied that the explosion had anything to do with destabilization moves against the government and said that they are now conducting follow-up operations to determine the identities and objectives of the culprits.

"We don’t believe that the ones responsible for the explosion meant to harm anybody, which is why they carried out their plan on a Sunday where there is no work," an investigator of the CPD-Central Investigation Unit said.

The grenade was thrown and exploded at about 3:30 a.m. inside the compound at 13th Avenue, Murphy, Quezon City, a very short distance from Camp Aguinaldo where the military insurance firms are located.

According to Rene Gasparillo, 47, Top Line Metal Inc. owner, the explosion destroyed the rooftop of the establishment and the windshield and hood of a Toyota Tamaraw FX (WPB-689), which was parked inside the compound. – Matthew Estabillo