Alert up in Sultan Kudarat after grenade attack on mayor’s home

COTABATO CITY (PNA) — Police authorities in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat set up more checkpoints around town following the grenade attack at the home of town Mayor Ramon Abalos on Friday night.

“The police are on alert, we are not taking any chances,” Supt. Aldrin Gonzales, speaking for police in Region 12, told reporters in an interview Saturday after two men on a motorbike lobbed a fragmentation grenade at Abalos’ home in Barangay Poblacion, Lambayong, around 7 p.m.

No one among the police security escorts of Abalos was injured.

The mayor was also not home at the time of the incident.

Sr. Insp. Herman Luna of the Lambayong police office said it was the second grenade attack against the official’s house this year.

On July 29, riding-in-tandem suspects also hurled a hand grenade at the compound of Abalos’ home at around 7 a.m.

In the first attack, town Councilor Carlos Abalos, the mayor’s brother, and his cousin, Richard Abalos, town public supervisor, sustained minor injuries.

The same suspects hurled another grenade toward the main entrance of the town police office as they sped off towards Barangay Tinumigues in Sultan sa Barongis town of Maguindanao.

The motive of the grenade attacks remains unknown.