7 hurt in grenade blast in Iligan City — police

(Updated 9:23 a.m.) Seven people were reported injured in a predawn grenade blast in Iligan City Friday, but police ruled out terrorism in the incident. In a radio interview, Senior Superintendent Bernardo Reamon, Iligan City police chief, said the incident was an attempt at revenge by carjackers for recent arrests of their colleagues. "May limang sugatan as a result of the incident. Ang assessment namin dito, this is not related to the MILF issue but rather ito ay isang resbak ng carjackers... na nahuli dito sa city ng Iligan (At least five people were injured as a result of the incident. But our assessment is this is not related to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front [MILF]. This is more of an attempt by carjackers to gain revenge for the arrest of their colleagues)," Reamon told dzBB radio. A separate report on dzXL radio said most of the injured were laborers and vendors. It identified six of them as Rogelio Itol, 68; Gardenio Nunog; Gonzalo Layag, 64; Mario Limpangog; Potri Sultan, 60; Nomar Tinoy, 29. A seventh victim was described as a Maranao woman. One of the injured claimed seeing six men having a drinking spree near the police office. Citing initial reports, he said the incident occurred at 3:45 a.m. at the Palao Market near a satellite office of the city's police station. Reamon noted that before the grenade blast, carjackers had suffered losses due to arrests. "We believe it was an attempt to get back at us," he said in Filipino. He said he and Mayor Lawrence Cruz went on air early Friday to reassure the public the incident was not related to secessionist MILF. "Back to normal tayo sa city of Iligan (We are now back to normal)," he said. — RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV