GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Six policemen and two civilians were wounded after an unidentified man lobbed a fragmentation grenade in front of a police station in Maasim, Sarangani, Monday night.
Supt. Romeo Galgo, regional police spokesman, said the attack came as the town was celebrating its founding anniversary.
He said the suspect aboard a motorcycle hurled a grenade into the entrance gate of the police station which is just a stone’s throw away from the municipal hall.
Galgo identified the wounded policemen as Inspector Danilo Abayata, PO1 Almasir Tingkasan, PO1 Rommel Bedua, PO1 Mark Victor Naya, PO1 Rowell Sobretodo, and PO1 Socram Sugod, and two civilians identified as Leonardo dela Pena and Jethphonie Nabales.
“The attacker had actually targeted the police station,” Galgo said.
Police had not ruled out terrorism as the motive behind the attack.
“We are still investigating the possible perpetrator behind the attack,” Galgo said.
Regional police director Cedrick Train, who immediately rushed to the scene, ordered the deployment of additional policemen to secure the police station.
In 2008, some 50 renegade elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front swooped on the police station and municipal hall of Maasim town, which resulted in the killing of two people. (Joseph Jubelag)