NPA tagged in Davao City blast

DAVAO CITY, Philippines  – The Philippine Army has tagged the New People’s Army (NPA) in the grenade explosion here that injured 41 people in Barangay Fatima, Paquibato district late Saturday night.

“It was the handiwork of the NPA,” Brig. Gen. Ariel Bernardo, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID) said.

Maj. Jake Obligado, spokesman for the Army’s 10th ID, said the victims were watching a circus when a grenade was lobbed at them at around 9:25 p.m.

Davao City police office director Ronald dela Rosa said investigation showed that the grenade was first hurled at the direction of the military personnel tasked to secure the event.

However, dela Rosa said the grenade hit a tarpaulin and bounced to the direction of the crowd watching the circus.

Those wounded were rushed to the nearest hospital in Panabo City, Davao del Norte  and the Southern Philippines Medical Center here.

Obligado said military and police units in the area are conducting a manhunt for the suspects.

Meanwhile, in Compostela Valley, government forces recovered an improvised landmine after an hour-long encounter with NPA rebels yesterday morning.