3 injured in Catbalogan grenade explosion

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
February 24, 2007

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  Samar PNP is on the look-out for two motorcycle riding-men who hurled a grenade which exploded at William mini-gas Station at the corner of Curry Avenue and del Rosario St., Catbalogan, Samar on February 22, 11:00 PM.

Three people were wounded with shrapnel. Michael Reloquio 31, Aloha Uy 24 were standing on the pavement when the grenade exploded. Another victim, Martin Alejan, who joined Reloquia and Uy, appeared at the Samar Provincial Hospital alleging that he too has been injured by the blast.

SPO3 Siegfredo Obong from the Catbalogan PNP is presently doing the investigation.

It will be recalled that in Samar, particularly the capital town of Catbalogan killings have occurred since the onset of 2007. The latest of which was the murder of San Jose de Buan municipal councilor Vivencio Ellantos.

In a phone interview over a radio program, COMELEC Provincial Supervisor Salvador Cruz admitted that Samar along with eight other provinces have been placed under “area of concern” following incidents of election-related violence.

PNP on its part have fielded additional men particularly in the evenings at the more crowded places like Imelda Park, fronting the Capitol to discourage misguided elements from pursuing terrorist acts.

Still police visibility, it seems have not ward off the intention of some criminals to wreak havoc in this Samar’s capital, said one jogger who seem unmindful of the series of violence that rocked the town of Catbalogan.