BAGUIO CITY — Police are trying to identify the people behind the possible throwing of a grenade Wednesday in front of the residence of a mayoral bet in one of the towns of Abra.

The explosive, identified by the police as an MK2 hand grenade, was seen by a passerby in front of the house of Artemio “Billy” Donato Jr. at Barangay Naguirayan, Pidigan, Abra at past 7 a.m. of the said date. The grenade was partially wrapped with a tape. 

Donato is an aspirant mayor of the Municipality of Pidigan.

After receiving the report from the resident who saw the grenade, members of the Pidigan Police and the Provincial Explosive Ordnance Division and Canine Unit went to the area. They discovered that the safety pin is missing but said grenade did not explode.

Donato said that he was in the municipality of Langiden, Abra attending an occasion the night before and just arrived home in the morning of 19 March only to know that a grenade was found in front of his residence. He said that it is probably a politically motivated one as he is running for a position in their municipality.

Meanwhile, the police are still on the hunt for the identification of a suspect who shot a former village captain and two others in the evening of 10 March at Sitio Guisaed, Barangay Cabcaburao, San Juan, Abra.

The victims were identified as Geraldo Turqueza, 53 years old, former barangay captain of Barangay Cabcaburao; Juanito Manuel, 58 years old and Renante Turqueza, 43 years old. All of the three are residents of the said barangay. 

In the initial police report, the victims were drinking liquor inside the residence of the former village chief when an unidentified gunman suddenly shot them.

The three were rushed to hospital and received treatment for their gunshot wounds.