1 killed, 10 hurt in Cavite grenade blast
THE barangay security officers tackled the young man like football players vying for the ball. Only this time the deadly prize was a grenade. Then boom! The youth had removed the pin on the explosive causing the blast, leaving bloodied bodies sprawled everywhere.
The explosion killed a 26-year-old delivery body and wounded 10 others in Cavite City late evening Wednesday. Two of the victims were local barangay security officers who were trying to stop a brawl between a group of teenagers in the area.
Cavite Police Provincial Office director, Colonel Christopher F. Olazo said the blast occurred along Benitez Street in Barangay 8, Cavite City around 11:58 a.m. Wednesday.
He added that initial investigation showed that two groups of male teenagers figured in a brawl in nearby Bgy. 10-A where they threw stones at each other.
The fight continued until the teenagers reached Benitez St. where they were accosted by responding officials of nearby Bgy. 11.
The official said that while trying to pacify the two groups, several barangay ‘tanods’ saw one of the teenagers already holding a hand grenade and threatening to detonate it.
The barangay security officers scuffled for the possession of the grenade until the suspect who was described as only 18-years-old managed to remove the pin, causing the grenade to explode.
The suspect and the two barangay officials were injured.
The barangay ‘tanods’ identified as Joseph Barrera,53, and Alejandro Dizon,45, have been declared in stable condition at the Cavite Medical Center.
However, one of the grenade blast victims identified as Julius Tindoc died while undergoing treatment at the Divine Hospital in Trece Martirez City. Still confined at the same hospital were Erickson Valenzuela,22; Mark Gio Layug,28; and Raymart Honra,18.
Honra was listed in critical condition.
Col. Olaza said that the two suspects identified as Arjay Camacho and a 17-year-old male have been arrested and are now facing criminal charges. Camacho has been listed in stable condition at the Cavite Medical Center while the 2nd suspect was unhurt in the explosion and is now being held at the local police station.
