13 hurt in Quiapo blast Terrorism ruled out

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District (MPD) is trying to locate a man reportedly behind a pipe bomb explosion that left 13 persons wounded in Quiapo, Manila on Friday night.

Six of the victims have been discharged from the hospitals, while seven were still confined at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRMMC) and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) as of yesterday afternoon.

One of the victims lost his leg while the other was treated for severe injury in his buttocks.

Senior Police Officer 3 Dennis Insierto, MPD intelligence operative, identified the victims as Ramon Carious, 46, and Rolando Gubat, 45, both of Quiapo, Manila, respectively. They were rushed to the PGH.

Pepito Enriquez, 44, was taken to the Mary Chiles Hospital while Mariano Genabel, 40, was taken to the Manila Doctors Hospital.

Nine others – Migine Lopez, 24; Mayvelyn Olipas, 19; Alvin Michael Vallila, 20; Clarissa Macaspac, 24; Amado Flores, 37; Patrick Bagnes, 26; Reynaldo Cabanilla, 28; Ruiz Convicto Jr., 32; and Wilfredo Tomagan, 22 – were taken to the JRMMC.

Most of the victims were employees of a funfair operated by a certain “Marissa.”

Initial investigation disclosed that a man hurled a pipe bomb at the people milling around a color game stall near the Tower Lodging House at the corner of Soler street and Quezon Boulevard just before 11 p.m.

Closed-circuit television videos showed two men on a motorcycle passing the area minutes before the explosion.

MPD director Chief Superintendent Joel Coronel has ruled out any connection between the incident and the ongoing Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit and assured the public that it was an “isolated case.”

Coronel said his men are looking for the father of a boy who was reportedly beaten up by three brothers who worked at the funfair last April 26.

Accompanied by his aunt, the boy filed before Barangay 391 chairman Arnold Almario a complaint of physical injuries in relation to child abuse against “Bebot,” “Tangki,” and “Komang” Kahulugan but the three failed to present themselves.

A day later, the father of the boy appeared at the funfair looking for the Kahulugan brothers but failed to find them. The man reportedly threatened to get even before leaving the place.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said the attacker used a pipe bomb filled with gunpowder and nuts as shrapnel.

He said the bomb was crudely assembled and not in any way connected to terrorists.