Grenades may have been for lawmaker, mayor
Abra Representative Joseph Sto. Niño “JB” Bernos said the January 25 bombing in La Paz, Abra that had claimed the lives of two policemen, including a former Special Action Force trooper, was an attack against him and his family.
The lawmaker and his wife, La Paz Mayor Menchie Bernos, were among those injured when an unidentified assailant hurled two grenades during the fireworks display for the town’s fiesta celebration before dawn Thursday.
“It was, in my opinion, a deeply personal attack against me, my family, and my mandate as the representative of the Lone District of Abra, whoever they are -- dis- rupted the reign of long-standing peace and order in our Province,” he said in a statement.
“I am enraged that you threatened me and my wife with two explosives, but you cannot bring us down in a time when the people are seeing and feeling the gradual progress and development in Abra, and when you chose to target the chair of the PNP (Philippine National Police) Modernization Bill,” he added.
Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza, Cordillera Police Regional Office chief, agreed that the assailant or assailants may have targeted the personalities on the stage at the town plaza.
The Bernos couple were among those on stage.
Carranza said they did not monitor any threat prior to the incident.
“Well, it appears na one of those in the stage is being targeted,” Carranza said.
“’Yung pagkakabato po kasi ng granada ay sa tabi po ng entablado. Kung facing po the stage, the blast sites for both grenades were on the left side, one on the front of the grandstand and other one was on the rear left side,” he added.
He said they have yet to interview the Bernos couple to find out whether they are receiving threats.
Carranza said they were in the process of collating all the possible evidences and the statements of the witnesses which may lead to the identification and arrest of the suspects.
“Ang una po naming ginagawa is to identify the suspect and we are now on the conduct of getting all the statements of all the victims and the people present sa fireworks display. We are getting all statements and collating kung meron pong nakakuha ng mga video,” he said, adding that many of those who watched the fireworks display have captured the event.
Earlier, Governor Joy Bernos urged constituents to stay calm.
The policemen who were killed were identified as PO3 Carlos Bocaig and PO2 Frenzel Kitoyan.
Bocaig was a former SAF member who took part in the Mamasapano raid on January 25, 2015 that ended in a gunfight with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and breakaway faction Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. ebels.
The encounter killed 44 SAF men and 18 Moro rebels, among others.
A person of interest has been taken into police custody after the bombing.