Grenade Blast in Iligan City leaves two dead; about 30 injured

ILIGAN CITY – A powerful grenade was hurled in front of El Centro Resto Bar at the corner of Roxas and Quezon Avenues around eight o’clock in the evening on May 5, leaving two people dead and about thirty more injured.


The corner of Roxas and Quezon Avenues, the busiest streets of the city was crowded when a still unidentified suspect tossed the (M5)grenade. The blast took the lives of two people: Jay Jangad (21) from Barangay Hinaplanon and Jhonel Dumalagan, a vendor and an MSU Marawi Commerce Graduate.


In a news report, Army Col. Daniel Lucero says investigators are still trying to identify the attacker who lobbed the grenade. The Iligan City Police Department found the pin of the grenade at the scene, which not injured civilians but also damaged a number of parked cars  and other property within the vicinity.


Colonel Lucero dismissed the speculations that such was an act of terrorism. He said in an interview on May 6 that it still "remained unclear if rebels, extortion gangs, or an isolated case of feuding civilians". An artist sketch of the alleged suspect was released by Police Department and a 300 thousand peso-bounty will be given to people who can help locate the criminal.

Stunned on-lookers gather minutes after the blast.

Among those critically hit was Rey P. So-ong, an NCIP director and a former law student of MSU College of Law - Iligan Extension. He is currently recovering from his injuries.