GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Police declared personal grudge as behind a grenade explosion in a remote village in Tampakan town in South Cotabato on Wednesday night that left a person dead.
Senior Insp. Rafael Banggay, Tampakan municipal police station chief, said Thursday the explosion happened following an altercation between two neighbors in Purok San Francisco, Barangay Pula Bato past 9 p.m.
Citing their initial investigation, he said a resident identified as John Rex Escallante, 30, hurled a grenade at victim Albert Davon, 20, after a heated argument.
He said the victim died on-the-spot due to severe wounds after being hit directly by the explosive.
Witnesses said the two initially had a drinking spree along with several other neighbors but was disrupted by their argument over an unspecified matter.
Escallante eventually left the group and headed home but was reportedly followed by the Davon.
The suspect then went inside his house, took a grenade and lobbed it at the victim.
Banggay said Escallante tried to flee using a motorcycle but met an accident and was arrested by responding village watchmen.
He said they are still investigating the cause of the argument but noted that the two were heavily drunk when the incident happened.
Residents in the area were not aware of any standing personal grudge between the two and the argument could have been due to their drunkenness, he said.
“We’re currently checking if the suspect was involved in illegal drug-related activities and if he has other pending cases,” he said.
The suspect is currently in custody of the Tampakan municipal police station while awaiting the formal filing of charges.(PNA)
