PNP: 5 killed, 7 hurt in grenade blast in Tarlac

(Updated 11:59 a.m.) Five people were killed while seven others were wounded following a grenade explosion inside a videoke bar in Tarlac province Tuesday night, the spokesman for the National Police said. In a text message to reporters Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said the incident happened about 8:20 p.m. when two unidentified motorcycle-riding men hurled a grenade at Elisa Videoke Bar in Barangay San Isidro in La Paz town. An initial investigation showed the victims were seated outside the videoke bar when the suspects lobbed a handgrenade at them. All the victims were rushed either to the Lapaz Medicare Hospital and the PJG Hospital in Cabanatuan City, but several of them were declared dead upon arrival at the hospitals. Authorities identified those killed in blast as:

Maria Theresa Labagala, 38, from Barangay Sto. Rosario Young in Zaragoza town in Nueva Ecija;

Ronaldson Abello, 17, from Brgy. Central, Tarlac City in Tarlac;

Rebeca Pineda, 21, Gatiawan, Arayat, Pampanga;

a certain Edwin Bernardo; and

a certain "Kim." Some of the injured victims undergoing treatment as of this posting were identified as:

Erwin Miguel, 16, and Randy Casiano, 23, both bystanders and residents of Brgy. Guevara in Lapaz, Tarlac;

Honeylyn Ramos,21, from Sto. Rosario Young, Zaragosa, Nueva Ecija;

Leonalyn Sandoval, 20, from Tondo, Manila; and

Jaypee Pineda, 16. Cruz said authorities are still investigating to determine the motive for the crime. — with Mark Merueñas/RSJ, GMA News