Blast rocks office of pro-GMA organization

A motorcycle-riding man threw an improvised bomb that exploded in front of the office of a multi-sectoral group actively supporting the candidacy of President Arroyo yesterday morning.

No one was hurt by the pillbox thrown at the gates of the Kaisahan ng Mamamayan para sa Bayan (Kaisambayan) office located at the corner of Malingap and Malumanay streets in Teacher’s Village, Quezon City.

The suspect sped off, but not before leaving another pillbox near the gutter, where the perpetrator briefly stopped his motorcycle. The second pill box did not explode.

Aileen Cabubas, a Kaisambayan staff member, said that at around 10 a.m. he saw a man on a motorcycle throw an object at the gate. She stood up to check who it was. As she approached the gate, the object exploded, prompting her to run inside for safety.

Other staff members called police for assistance. The Central Police District SWAT team quickly responded and collected evidence from the scene, including the unexploded pillbox.

Danilo Consumido, chairman and lead convenor of Kaisambayan, told The STAR that a week earlier, they noticed vehicles parked close to their office, as if staking it out. They also saw several persons taking pictures of their office.

"Obviously, someone or some people did not like what our organization was doing," Consumido said.

Kaisambayan has been aggressively campaigning for Mrs. Arroyo and has been very critical of her opponents in the presidential race, particularly actor Fernando Poe Jr.

They have come out with materials criticizing the capability of Poe to manage the country as president. The group has also been continuously daring Poe to present a concrete platform of government.

But Consumido was quick to point out that they are not pinpointing any individual or group responsible for the blast.

"We are not into black propaganda, we are only stating the facts and raising legitimate issues," Consumido said.