3 guards hurt in blast at disputed lot

MANILA, Philippines — Three security guards were injured in an explosion at a disputed property in Caloocan on Friday.

The explosion followed a commotion involving the guards of Carmel Development Inc. and the residents of Pangarap Village before dawn on Friday.

Witnesses told police a man with a shotgun fired at the ground before the explosion, as the residents confronted the guards, whom they blamed for a fire at a sari-sari store.

The explosion happened just beside the guards as they hid behind their service vehicle. Michael Maramag, Nelson Villabos, and Ariel Tejero were rushed to the hospital.

Another witness also told police about three men wearing bonnets and armed with a still unknown caliber of firearm before the explosion.

The lot dispute between the land developer and residents stemmed from a complaint filed by a group of teachers against CDI for preventing the restoration of power at the Pangarap Elementary School and Pangarap High School in Barangays 181 and 182.

Caloocan Regional Trial Court Branch 232 later granted the temporary restraining order against CDI, granting the petition for TRO and writ of preliminary injunction filed by the teachers.

Pangarap Village and CDI are locked in a land dispute after the former became a resettlement area by virtue of a presidential decree issued by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.