Two policemen were killed while 14, including a congressman and town mayor, were wounded after a grenade exploded during a fireworks display in La Paz town, Abra province early Thursday.

Chief Insp. Carolina Lacuata, public information office chief of the Cordillera Police Regional Office, said the grenade explosion occurred around 1:30 am.

Lacuata said during the initial investigation Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams recovered two levers of alleged MK2 fragmentation hand grenades.

“As per initial investigation, the unidentified suspect possibly joined the crowed then when the fireworks display started. The suspect threw an alleged MK2 fragmentation hand grenades near the stage where the victims stayed as evidenced by the two levers of alleged MK2 fragmentation hand grenades which was recovered by the SOCO and EOD teams,” she said.

The policemen who were killed were identified as PO3 Carlos Baccali Bocaig and PO2 Frenzel Buneng Kitoyan, both members of the Abra Provincial Police Office (PPO) provincial mobile force company (PMFC).

The wounded victims include Congressman Joseph Sto. Ni?o Bernos, his wife, La Paz Mayor Menchie Bernos, Acting Chief of Police of La Paz municipal police station Senior Insp. Apdilon Galong, PO2 Richard Basiag, 41 who is assigned at Danglas municipal police station, Barangay captain Darroll Azdi Gonzales, 32; Marc Rowjan Beronilla, 24; Diosdado Mina, 18; Jayson Bernabe Zales, 35; Ryan Jun Camacho Marasan, 37; Benedicto Doque Jr., 32; Eva Marie Panagtay Sales, 38; Juanito Zales, 37; Aira Cortez, 17; and Leyze Rose Pe Benito, 23, teacher at Queen of Peace High School, La Paz, Abra.

Lacuata said the provincial police office of Abra immediately “alerted all the adjacent municipalities to conduct checkpoint for the possible arrest of the perpetrator.”

“A Regional Special Investigation Task Group (RSITG) headed by Deputy Regional Director for Operations Chief Supt Sterling Raymund Blanco is activated to conduct a focused and exhaustive investigation to facilitate the speedy solution of the incident and give justice to all the victims of this heinous crime,” she said.

“Perpetrators are yet to be identified and motive is still to be determined,” she added. Robina Asido/DMS