November 15, 2011
COTABATO, Philippines (AFP) - A man who lost a coin-tossing gambling game at a carnival in the Philippines hurled a grenade at other players, killing a teenager and injuring 22 people, police sad Tuesday.
The suspect was furious because he believed another player at the gaming venue had cheated him, said local police chief Senior Inspector Jordaen Maribojo.
"He was searching for the man who he believed had cheated him. Apparently, the grenade thrower saw the man in the middle of the gambling area. When he saw him, he lobbed the grenade and fled," said Maribojo.
The explosion on Monday killed a 19-year-old man, while most of the 22 injured were also teenagers who had been watching or playing the game, according to Maribojo.
The incident occurred at a festival to celebrate 55 years since the foundation of Carmen, a rural and violence-plagued town on the strife-torn southern island of Mindanao, according to local police officals.
Maribojo said it was not known how the attacker, who fled and was still on the run, obtained a hand grenade.
But he noted that weapons and ammunition were relatively easy to get in Carmen, with Muslim rebels living on the outskirts of town and it being the scene of extortion bomb attacks in recent years by various armed groups.
