5 hurt in EDSA grenade blast

MANILA, Philippines - Five persons were wounded in a grenade explosion along EDSA in Cubao, Quezon City Monday night, which police believe might have been connected to a brawl that happened there earlier in the day.

The victims were hurt by shrapnel from a hand grenade lobbed in Barangay Immaculate Concepcion at past 9 p.m., said Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent Mario dela Vega.

QCPD Station 10 commander Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr. said vendor Rommel Simporios, 26, was sleeping on the sidewalk when the grenade was lobbed. He suffered a wound in the back.

Three passengers in a nearby bus were also hurt: Manuel Melaño and Niño Espina in the right shoulder and Catherine Esquivel in the cheek.

Felicidad Orencio, who was walking nearby, was hit by shrapnel in the left knee.

According to Pedrozo, everyone except Simporios had been discharged from the hospital as of yesterday.

Brawl with vendors?

Witness Frederick Penol told police they were manning their store when the explosion occurred.

As of yesterday morning, it was still not clear who actually lobbed the grenade, but Pedrozo said they were looking into a brawl that happened there before dawn on Monday.

Pedrozo said they have invited for questioning three men who were involved in the brawl – William Balasbas, Romeo Madilar and Romnick Intia. He said the three men had been at the police station that day following a free-for-all that happened at past midnight.

Pedrozo said Intia, Madilar and another man entered an apartelle, where Balasbas is a room boy, with female companions. A few moments later, Madilar and his companions went out and had an altercation with a male pimp, identified as Lito.

Balasbas tried to mediate but the men turned their ire on the apartelle staff.

Pedrozo said it was at this point that a brawl broke out. The people outside, including the vendors, joined the melee.

The men were brought to the police station but eventually agreed to settle the case.