2 hurt in grenade attacks on Samar mayor’s homes

SAMAR, Philippines – A security aide and a municipal official were hurt after unidentified men lobbed grenades on the two homes and warehouse of San Jorge town Mayor Joseph Grey early morning Tuesday, January 31.

Starting at around 2 am on Tuesday, unidentified men riding a motorcycle hurled a grenade at each of Grey’s homes in Barangay Mancol and Barangay Aurora, as well as at his warehouse in San Jorge town.

Hurt in the incident were Police Officer Artemio Rebato, who is temporarily detailed at the mayor’s home; and Jimmy Mariquit, a municipal aide. They were brought to the hospital for treatment following the attacks.

The mayor’s family members have been temporarily evacuated to the San Jorge municipal building for protection.

An exasperated Grey lamented the slow response of authorities to the attacks. He singled out the delayed arrival of the Explosive Ordnance Division (EOD) and the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) to process the crime scene.

“I was trying to control my emotion….I was trying to understand these policemen here, pero walang silbi ang mga ito. Walang mangyayari; mamatay ang pamilya ko dito (they are useless. Nothing will happen; my family will die here),” he said.

Grey lamented: “Nakakadismaya na talaga. Ayoko sana isipin na may kinakampihan ang mga police pero with this slow response of the EOD and the SOCO – hanggang ngayon wala pa. Magsasabi ka, di ka pinakikinggan Tatawag ka, parang balewala lang.”

(It’s very dismaying. I don’t want to think that the police are siding with anyone but this slow response of the EOD and the SOCO – until now, they’re not here yet. You’ll report something, then they won’t listen. You call, but it’s like you’re being ignored.)

The EOD and the SOCO teams traveled from the PNP Regional Command in Tacloban City. The EOD arrived in San Jorge town 4 hours after the incident was reported.

Grey suspected his political opponent, the Bisnar family, of being behind the attack. Lester Bisnar lost to Grey in the 2016 elections.

Superintendent Feliciano Romero, officer-in-charge of Philippine National Police-Samar told Rappler in an interview on Tuesday that police had secured the area and were investigating the incidents. 

More police coming from the Samar provincial office in Catbalogan City  had been deployed to the town. Grey requested additional troops from Task Force Cagasmas, which is tasked to dismantle private armged groups, to augment the police personnel.  – Rappler.com