CAMP BADO DANGWA, Benguet — Murder and frustrated murder charges have been filed against three suspected perpetrators of the grenade blast during the La Paz town fiesta in Abra province last January.
The blast, which coincided with a fireworks display, killed two policemen and injured 26 people, including the province’s congressman and his wife.
Chief Supt. Edward Carranza, Regional Director of the Police Regional Office – Cordillera (PROCOR), identified the three suspects as Joel Millare Balucas, Roel Escalante, and Eljay Biyang.
Carranza told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday the three suspects were charged with two counts of murder and multiple frustrated murder before the Abra Provincial Prosecutor last March 15.
The explosions during the town fiesta last Jan. 25 resulted in the deaths of Police Officer (PO) 3 Carlos Baccali Bocaig and PO2 Frenzel Buneng Kitoyan, both members of the Police Mobile Force Company of the Abra Police. The blast also injured 26 people, including Abra Rep. Joseph Santo Niño Bernos and his wife, La Paz Mayor Menchie Bernos.
Carranza had ordered the immediate activation of the Regional Special Investigation Task Group to investigate the incident and arrest the suspects.
All the three suspects are still at large.
Carranza appealed to the residents to support the government’s campaign against terrorism and lawlessness by immediately reporting any untoward incident to the nearest police station or through PROCOR hotline number 0999-885-1849 or email, [email protected]. (Primo Agatep/PNA)
