MAYORAL BET BLAMES “DIRTY POLITICS” BEHIND LATEST GRENADE LOBBING IN ABRA

March 22, 2025 Provincial

PIDIGAN, Abra mayoral bet Artemio Donato Jr. blamed “dirty politics” behind the latest grenade lobbing “attack” against him last Wednesday. “Pulitika lattan a gapo nan” (Its because of politics), Donato Jr., a former mayor pf Langiden town condemned. Investigators are still sifting into clues who lobbed the MK2 fragmentation grenade in front of Donato Jr.’s house at barangay Naguirayan, Pidigan.
Unexploded though, its pin and lever were missing, the unexploded was seen by a passerby past 7:00 AM Wednesday, March 19, 2024.

Donato Jr., whose Donato Jr., whose 11- vehicle convoy was ambushed last month killing a barangay chairman and another victim, attended a town fiesta in Langiden Tuesday night and just arrived home Wednesday morning when the unexploded grenade was found. The mayoral bet though said investigators still have to ascertain via CCTV footages how come a grenade was found infront of his house. “Ngem kitaen pay nalaing CCTV nu kasanu ada granada jay sango balay sir.,” in his SMS message said.

The PNP Explosive Ordnance Division and Canine Unit (PECU) discovered the grenade’s pin was missing and tied with electrical tape.
Meanwhile, policemen are still hunting down a suspect who fired at a former village chairman and two others Tuesday evening, March 18, 2025 at Sitio Guisaed, Barangay Cabcaburao, San Juan, also in Abra. The victims were identified as Geraldo Turqueza, 53, former barangay of Barangay Cabcaburao; Juanito Manuel,58; and Renante Turqueza, 43. Initial investigation bared that the victims were drinking liquor inside the residence of the former village chief when an unidentified gunman fired at them. The three were rushed to hospital and received treatment for their gunshot wounds.

Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN