4 students injured in 40-mm grenade explosion in Zambo Sur school

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Feb. 22 (PNA) -- Four students were injured, two of them in critical condition, when the 40-milimiter (MM) grenade they were playing with exploded at a school in the nearby town of Lakewood.

Lt. Col. Virgilio Hamos, Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion commander, disclosed the incident took place around 7:20 a.m. Wednesday, February 22, in the Comprehensive National High School, Barangay Poblacion, Lakewood municipality.

Hamos identified the victim as follows: Rodulfo Halius, 17; Jonny Daluyon, 13; Alona Fe Cabral, 14; and Treshea Mae Calmonte, 13.

They were taken to the Provincial Medical Center in this city. Halius and Daluyon were in critical condition.

Hamos told the Philippines News Agency that investigation showed Daluyon on Tuesday brought to the school the 40-mm grenade coming from Mount Serungan, Lakewood.

According to Wikipedia, a 40-mm grenade is a military grenade caliber for grenade launchers in service with many armed forces.

Hamos said Daluyon and his classmates played, tinkered and buried the grenade before they went home Tuesday afternoon.

He said the 40-mm grenade exploded after they unearthed and played with the explosive upon arrival in school Wednesday morning.

“They unwittingly dropped it that caused its explosion,” he added. (PNA)
LAP/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION

Follow up report

One of the 4 wounded victims of explosion in Zambosur died

By Jong Cadion

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (February 23, 2017) - One of the four wounded victims died, this was confirmed by provincial information officer Marivic Jongco that Rodulfo Halius was seriously wounded declared dead by his attending physician few hours after his medication at the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center.

Jongco said the provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office is conducting assistance to the assistance to the victims.

Lt. Col. Hamos also said that the said ammunition believed to be owned by the New People’s Army (NPA) and was abandoned by them since the place is identified as red area.

In police investigation P/Senior Inspector Avelmar Renan U. Garambas, Lakewood Municipal Police Station Chief disclosed that on July 2016 an encounter between the military and NPA happened in Mount Serungan where the grenade launcher was found on February 21, 2017(Monday) by Rodulfo Halius and believed to be a dud ammunition.

Halius brought the grenade launcher to the school and played, tinkered and buried the grenade before they went home Tuesday afternoon.

Police said the 40-mm grenade exploded after they unearthed and played with the explosive upon arrival in school Wednesday morning in the Comprehensive National High School, Barangay Poblacion, Lakewood municipality.