Bomb hurled at Angelika de la Cruz's house

MANILA, Philippines –  A blast destroyed the gates of actress Angelika de la Cruz’s house in Barangay Longos, Malabon City before dawn yesterday.

“Nobody was hurt but the blast created a big hole in the house’s stainless steel gate,” Police Officer 3 Chona Ferreras told The STAR.

Ferreras said the Northern Police District crime laboratory was still examining fragments gathered from the explosion to determine what kind of explosive was hurled at the gate.

She said their initial investigation showed that there was a street fight between two groups of teenagers when the explosion occurred at around 2 a.m.

“Most probably it was caused by a pillbox, but we are still in the process of determining it,” she said.

Ferreras said there is a chapel near the actress’s house and many teenagers were in the area because the dawn Mass was about to start. According to witnesses, at least three boys were involved in hurling the bomb.

However, Ferreras said local police are also looking into reports that the actress’ father, Ernesto de la Cruz, 60, who was voted chairman of Barangay Longos in last elections, has been receiving death threats since he assumed his post. He won against nine other contenders.

Ernesto said prior to the explosion, unidentified men threw feces at the gate of their house. “I have no idea who is behind these attacks,” he said.

Angelika’s brother, Eduard, who also won as councilor of Malabon City during the May elections, died in a highway mishap in northern Luzon a few days before his official proclamation.

Angelika wants to replace her brother in the council but the Liberal Party, to which her brother belonged, has yet to make a final ruling on her petition.