Cotabato cops tighten security after 2 grenade attacks

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Authorities on Monday tightened security around police stations here following two grenade attacks possibly meant to weaken the unrelenting anti-narcotics campaign of local officials.

Investigators said it is possible a syndicate was behind the detonation last week of a smoke grenade near the city's main police precinct at the downtown area. It is also tagged to be behind the attempt to bomb another station at the Rosary Heights District here as part of a ploy to spring from detention drug traffickers arrested in recent raids.

No one was hurt in the explosion of a military-type smoke grenade at one side of the city's police precinct 1.

Policemen on duty immediately surrounded the detention room inside the station after sensing that the attack could be a diversion for an attempt to "rescue" large-scale drug-traffickers arrested in recent operations.

The incident was followed by the bungled bombing on Monday of another police precinct along a highway straddling through a busy district southwest of Cotabato City.

A still unidentified man lobbed a fragmentation grenade at the roof of the police station but the blasting contraption of the explosive malfunctioned.

In a statement, Cotabato City Vice-Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi urged local folks to be vigilant in the wake of possible attempts to disrupt their massive anti-narcotics campaign since early July.

Guiani, who has been leading law-enforcement activities of the police since she assumed office after her election as vice mayor on May 9, condemned the attacks on the city's police precinct 1 and 2.

Guiani, a lawyer, is popular for her hardline policy in helping maintain law and order in all of the 37 barangays in Cotabato City.