2 charged in Taguig blast

MANILA, Philippines - Criminal charges were filed on Thursday against two people allegedly involved in a blast that killed four people in Taguig City last month.

Police Officer 2 Arnold Mayo and Menalyn Torralba, wife of Mayo’s colleague in the bomb squad, were charged with two counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, two counts of reckless imprudence in frustrated homicide, and three counts of damage to property before the city prosecutor’s office.

Mayo, with PO3 Jose Torralba and PO2 Elizalde Bisaya, allegedly forced ironworks shop owner Crisanto Daguio to dismantle an 81mm mortar shell on Jan. 25.

Menalyn allegedly accompanied the policemen to borrow a metal clamp from Daguio, said Chief Inspector Benny Basilio, head of the Taguig police’s investigation unit.

Witnesses said when the clamp didn’t work, the policemen asked Daguio to blowtorch the shell, causing it to explode. Daguio, Torralba, Bisaya, and bakery owner Riza Romulado died, while Mayo and 10 others were injured.