Grenade found in LTFRB restroom

MANILA, Philippines -  A bomb scare hit the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) yesterday morning after a grenade was found hidden in one of its restrooms.

The fragmentation hand grenade was discovered in the men’s restroom on the third floor of the LTFRB’s building along East Avenue in Quezon City.

LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez said the bomb scare stopped work at the government office for about two hours.

According to Ginez, the threat was first received through a phone call to the administrative department of the LTFRB at around 9:30 a.m.

The male caller said there would be a grenade that would explode and that it was best to evacuate the employees.

“The caller claimed he was a disgruntled employee of Philtranco,” a bus firm, Ginez said.

A team of bomb experts checked the LTFRB building. Eventually, a janitor reported having found an MK2 fragmentation hand grenade inside the water tank of a toilet.

Employees were advised that the building was safe from any explosive device at around noon, said Inspector Noel Sublay, head of the Explosives and Ordnance Division of the Quezon City Police District.

Sublay said the grenade was wrapped in packaging tape and its pin was still intact. He said they opened the grenade shell and found it did not have any explosives, detonator or blasting cap.

“It was an empty shell and did not have fillers,” he said.

Ginez noted the grenade was obviously placed by someone who was able to enter the LTFRB premises. He said they will review videos of surveillance cameras in the building to find out who placed the grenade there.

Ginez said the LTFRB will not be intimidated by threats.

“I’m calling on the group or individuals behind this dastardly and dishonorable act to come forward and discuss with us their problems instead of resorting to such violent actions that could cause irreparable and collateral damage,” he said in a statement.

The LTFRB chairman said a check of the board’s records showed no current legal issues involving the franchise of the bus firm mentioned by the caller.