Cotabato City grenade attack ahead of Duterte visit injures 12

Eight Philippine Army soldiers and four civilians were injured in Cotabato City on Sunday after a grenade was thrown at a vehicle that was part of the advance party for the upcoming visit of President Rodrigo Duterte.

According to Western Mindanao Command Spokesperson Major Arvin John Encinas, the grenade was thrown at a military vehicle in the vicinity of Sinsuat and Quezon Avenue in Cotabato City at around 6 p.m.

The vehicle belonged to a Division Reconnaissance Company (DRC) which had been deployed as part of the advance party for the President's visit on Monday- December 23.

Encinas said the suspects in the attack were described as teenagers, around 15 years of age.

The wounded soldiers were brought to the nearest hospital for treatment while clearing operations at the scene continued.

Security forces had earlier recovered two suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Sinsuat Avenue, both of which were disposed of by the Philippine National Police. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News