MATALAM, North Cotabato – A grenade explosion inside a carnival here left one dead and about five others injured minutes before the New Year on Tuesday night, Dec. 31.
MATALAM, North Cotabato Vice Mayor Ralph Rafael (center) speaks to residents and police following the grenade explosion on Dec. 31. (FB)
The blast occurred at about 11:50 p.m. in a crowded carnival area in Sitio Condring, Barangay Marbel, according to Matalam Vice Mayor Ralph Ryan Rafael.
An initial police report identified the deceased as a 30-year-old male, adding that some five others sustained shrapnel injuries.
“The family of the victim deserves answers, and our community deserves to feel safe,” Rafael said in an interview on Wednesday without identifying the fatality.
Police bomb experts are still investigating the incident.
“Let this serve as a reminder that peace is not the responsibility of one individual but the duty of us all. We must stand together, united by our desire for a safe and harmonious community,” Rafael said as he urged residents to remain vigilant and supportive of efforts to enhance security in the area. (PNA)