A 22-year-old man was killed while his father was wounded in a grenade explosion in Barili town, southern Cebu.
Police identified the fatality as 51-year-old Renulfo Borres.
According to Renulfo’s sister Odelyn, the grenade exploded in the victim’s hands while they were outside their house in barangay Cagay past 11 p.m. Tuesday .
But Insp. Julius Umpad, chief of Barili Police Station, said an investigation will be made to find out why Odelyn and her live-in-partner Arnel Paloma immediately left after the incident.
Police said the two victims had a drinking session with the couple, who had just arrived from Bukidnon.
In her affidavit, Odelyn said that while they were drinking, Renulfo went to their house and was holding something close to his chest when he came back.
Odelyn said the object carried by her brother seemed to have caught fire until it fell to the ground and exploded.
Insp. Umpad said that after the explosion, Renulfo’s father Vicente rushed inside the house, took a gun and fired shots, thinking that someone lobbed a grenade at them.
Renulfo and Vicente were later brought to the hospital where the former was declared dead.
Insp. Umpad said based on police investigation, the grenade exploded in Renulfo’s hands and that the explosive was not thrown by someone else.
Florita, the wife of Vicente, said she was inside the house when she heard an explosion. She ran outside to check but didn’t see Odelyn and Arnel.
Odelyn said she and Arnel ran out of fear until they reached a cornfield where they hid.
They later went to the house of her aunt.
Odelyn said they planned to go to the hospital where her brother and father were brought but were advised by her aunt to stay since it was already dark.
Shrapnel recovered from the area was brought to the PNP Crime Laboratory for an examination to determine what kind of grenade it was, police said.
Police are also verifying reports that the grenade was owned by Vicente, who was arrested for illegal possession of firearms a few years ago.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
