A SIX-year-old boy was killed while 34 others were wounded after still unidentified perpetrators lobbed two grenades at a town fair in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat early Sunday evening, security forces reported Monday.
“Our initial report said hand grenades were thrown by unidentified perpetrators. One exploded and the other did not explode and recovered by responding military and police personnel,” Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, spokesperson of the Army’s Sixth Infantry Division, said in a telephone interview.
In a separate report, Esperanza town police director Chief Inspector Bryan Benardino said they were in custody of one of three men who are suspected of lobbing the grenades at the fair grounds near the town market around 8:15 p.m. Sunday.
Bernardino identified the sole fatality as six-year-old Anton John Antonio, who was having a snack at the fair when the grenade exploded and the shrapnel hit him in the head. One of the 34 victims was in critical condition at press time, he added.
“Eighteen of the wounded were still in the hospital. There were also 16 persons who sustained slight injuries and opted to go home after treated of their wounds,” he said.
He said two of the suspects are believed to have come from Maguindanao province, but he did not elaborate because of the pending investigation.
Bernardino said the attack may have been due to a grudge against the operator of the fair, but the authorities are not discounting the possibility that the attack was carried out by the renegade Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Sixth Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan said he has ordered intelligence officers from the 601st Brigade to help the police and determine whether the attack was part of a supposed BIFF mission to avenge the killing of 18 members in clashes in Maguindanao last week.
In the past three days alone, Pangilinan said military ordnance experts defused 14 improvised roadside bombs BIFF forces planted along farm trails in the the Maguindanao towns of Datu Salibo, Datu Piang and Datu Saudi.
Bombings in Mindanao started to multiply earlier this month after the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law failed to pass Congress.
On February 3, two people were wounded after a bomb planted in a private vehicle in Sultan Kudarat went off as the military deployed more ground troops in several areas of Mindanao, particularly Sulu, in preparation for any eventualities after the BBL failed.
A security expert said he had received reliable reports that the MILF was preparing for a possible all-out war against government forces.
“The MILF faction led by Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, who had an autonomous leadership within the MILF, was monitored to be preparing extensively and massing up,” the security expert, who asked to remain anonymous, said.