Cops deepen probe into 'gift bomb' case, secure embassies

Police in Metro Manila are deepening their investigation into the gift bomb incident that killed a 31-year-old mother in Taguig City, after learning the grenades involved were “military-type." Metro Manila police chief Director Nicanor Bartolome also said they have tightened security around foreign embassies although they will not inspect gifts and packages addressed there. “We have to dig deeper into this case. At least five grenades were involved. We want to see where these came from and how they were procured," Bartolome said in an interview on dzBB radio. He cited initial findings that the grenades that killed Yvonne Chua, 31, were the type issued to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Chua was killed after one of the five grenades, which were wrapped as a gift, exploded while she was opening the box. Her husband and son were not hurt. Bartolome earlier said they are pursuing the theory that a family feud might be the cause of the incident, noting that the victim received threats via cell phone. He also said their initial interviews with members of the Chua family indicated the one who gave the gift claimed to be a household helper of a relative of the victim. Meanwhile, Bartolome said they have tightened security around the premises of embassies in Metro Manila as a precaution against similar gift-bomb attacks. But he stressed it is still up to the security of the embassies to inspect the gifts. “Meron tayo, may personnel na naka-deploy sa iba’t ibang embassy. Pero ang kanilang mail at gift, yan responsibility ng kanilang security units sa iba’t ibang embassy (Our police personnel are deployed in the embassies but it is still up to the embassies’ security personnel to inspect mail and gift packages. Our responsibility is to guard the area outside the embassy premises)," he said. — LBG, GMANews.TV