InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
(Updated 5:51 p.m.) One of the police escorts of a Zamboanga del Sur town mayor was hurt in an explosion in Pagadian City Wednesday afternoon, an Army spokesman said.
The explosion rocked the two-vehicle convoy of Labangan Vice Mayor Ukol Talumpa as it was traversing the street near Izah Hospital in Pagadian, Capt. Alberto Caber, spokesman of the 1st Infantry Division, said.
One of Talumpa's escorts, PO1 Mohamad Magumpara, was hit by shrapnel while on board a white Crosswind back-up vehicle. The vehicle also incurred damages. Magumpara was immediately rushed to the Izah Hospital.
Glenda Cayubyub and her three-year-old daughter, Giane Charm, who were just passing by, were also reported wounded in the incident.
Caber said Talumpa, on board a Nissan Patrol, was on his way back to Labangan from a popular shopping mall in Pagadian City when they were hit by the explosion.
Responding elements from the Philippine Army Explosive Ordnance unit and from the City PNP who have jointly sifted through the blast identified the explosive as a fragmentation grenade.
1st Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier G Cruz III has directed the 53rd Infantry Battalion to help local police in their investigation to determine the motive and other circumstances surrounding the incident.
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