CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – The Philippine National Police-10 chief appealed the public to ensure their safety first in situations where there is a looming threat to lives and properties.
“For their own safety, they must keep their distance, and let the experts handle the situation,” said Brig. Gen. Rolando Anduyan, PNP-10 regional director, following the November 28 grenade blast inside the Initao College campus in Barangay Jampason, Initao town, Misamis Oriental.
Anduyan was referring to the students and other bystanders who were injured when a grenade went off inside the school. Two persons, one of them a police officer, were killed while 16 were wounded.
“People must distance themselves from situations where they could be hurt or killed,” Anduyan told reporters Thursday (Nov. 28) afternoon.
According to a police report, a certain Ibrahim Basher, from Lanao del Sur, created a scene at the office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Jampason as he tried to negotiate for the release of his truck and lumber that were confiscated.
Basher, witnesses said, was seen carrying a hand grenade, with the safety pin removed, inside the Initao College, near the DENR office.
“He started to get unruly while inside the office of the DENR prompting the personnel of that office to flee. He went outside and that was where the grenade exploded,” she added.
Velarde said the DENR and the Initao College are just a walking distance from each other.
A video circulating on social media showed policeman, identified as Senior Master Sgt. Jason Magno, trying to grab something from the hands of an old man (Basher). The latter dropped on the ground during the scuffle, and seconds later there was an explosion. Successive gun shots can be heard afterwards, fired by another police in the vicinity.
Capt. Princess Joy Velarde, Misamis Oriental Provincial Police information officer, said Basher and Magno were killed moments after the grenade went off.
Anduyan called Magno a “hero” for what he did. “He (Magno) had the instinct to save people,” he said.
A statement released by the provincial police said Magno “sacrificed himself to save more lives… Magno used his body to prevent the impact of blast and protect others from sustaining injuries.”
“His bravery and courage will never be forgotten,” the statement said. (davaotoday.com)
