EOD operatives recover grenade in front of the mayor’s residence. Contributed photo
JAEN, Nueva Ecija – Operatives from the Nueva Ecija police’s explosive and ordinance division recovered an unexploded hand grenade in front of the gate of the house of Mayor Sylvia Austria in Barangay San Josef Navao here at about 7:58 a.m. Saturday.
The EOD team headed by Major Justin Larioza described the grenade as a “highly explosive M67.”
A close circuit television footage showed the backrider in a single motorcycle hurled the grenade at about 2:39 a.m., according to Major Baltazar Corpuz, chief of police.
Quoting the EOD, Corpuz said the explosive was capable of damaging an area within a circumference of 15 meters. If exploded, it could have destroyed the gate, he said.
“In-explain niya (Lariazo) kanina na dalawa yung pin ng hand grenade na ‘yun at yung isa ay hindi naaliskaya siguro hindi nagkaroon ng explosion,” Corpuz said.
Lawyer Dominic Garen, Austria’s legal counsel and spokesperson, said the incident brought fear among people inside the mayor’s residential compound.
“Dahil nga po kagabi lang raw ay may dalawang tao na binaril sa kabilang barangay,” Garen said, referring to the village councilman and a local peacekeeper from Barangay Sto. Tomas Norte who were gunned down by unidentified riding-in-tandem in Barangay Lambakin at around 8:40 p.m. Friday.
Several supporters visit Austria in her residence in anticipation of the implementation of an order from the Commission on Elections Second Division to have her reinstated within three days. The order was issued to the Department of Interior and Local Government last Feb. 3, 2021.
Garen said they could not link the grenade throwing to any particular issue but called for a full-dressed investigation of the incident.
“Nananawagan kami sa mga otoridad na imbestigahan ito para malaman at matigil na ang mga ganitong pangyayari,” he said.
Corpuz said they were looking for more CCTV footages and conduct checkpoint operations to run after culprits in both the killing of village officials andgrenade throwing incident.
