Malabon businesswoman’s house bombed

MANILA, Philippines - The house of a businesswoman in Malabon City was rocked by an explosion before dawn yesterday.

Jovita Gabriel, 64, called the Malabon Police Community Precinct 5 after a grenade exploded in the garage of her house on Gov. Andres Gabriel street in Gabriel Subdivision 2, Barangay Duhat at around 4:30 a.m.

The blast killed the family dog and damaged the garage roof and two luxury vehicles, she said.

One of the family’s helpers told Gabriel he saw two men riding a motorcycle near the house a few minutes before the explosion.

Members of the Malabon police’s explosives and ordnance division recovered the handle, pin and pieces of the grenade.

A letter addressed to Gabriel was found at the gate of her house a few hours after the incident. The letter – signed by Bulig Magtanggol, the reported leader of the leftist organization Hukbong Maralita ng Tagalungsod – warned her that she will be punished for allegedly “meddling in the process that will allow the urban poor to acquire their own lands.”

Gabriel, whose family owns tracts of land in Malabon and Quezon City, told The STAR that a man tried to enter their compound a couple of weeks back. The family dog prevented him from going in “so he just put human waste on the gate and the wall,” she said.

Family problem

Gabriel said the letter could have been the work of her brother-in-law, who she claimed has been threatening her and her family. 

“He vowed to kill us all so that no one will benefit from the land. He said he will send a group of informal settlers to harass us,” she said. 

A source earlier told The STAR that a parcel of land in Barangay Catmon owned by the family is occupied by informal settlers and is now under litigation. 

However, Gabriel said they do not own land in Catmon “that has a problem with any leftist organization.”

She alleged that her brother-in-law asked for and received the title to a piece of land in Pasong Tamo, Quezon City a year ago “but refused to return it when they were asking for it.”

PCP 5 commander Inspector Bobbie Imbo said they are still investigating the incident and cannot yet release their findings.