4 teeners hurt in M203 cartridge explosion at Pagadian City high school

PAGADIAN CITY—Four high school students were hurt, two of them in critical condition, when an M203 cartridge exploded on campus on Wednesday morning in Zamboanga Del Sur.

A Philippine Army spokesman said the grenade was brought to the Poblacion Lakewood National Comprehensive High School "from Mt. Serungan on February 21 but buried it for safekeeping."

Lieutinant Colonel Benedicto Manquiquis, chief of the 1st Infantry Division's Public Affairs Office, said the cartridge was dug out and played with. It then exploded in front of a school building.

The wounded students were identified as Jhonny Daluyon, 13; Rodolfo Halius, 17;  Alona Fe Clarabal, 14; and Treshea Mae Clamonte, 13.

Daluyon and Halius are reportedly in serious condition.

It was Daluyon who allegedly  brought tthe cartridge to school.

The  wounded students were brought immediately to the nearby Barangay Baking Health Center.

They were then brought to one of the hospitals in Pagadian City.

Two of the four students are in critical condition, Manquiuis said.

Manquiquis said " the M203 cartdige might belong to the New People's Army  who were on the run during the  encounter with the 53rd IB on  February 18 in Lakewood  wherein a 16 years old child warrior was killed.

The body was retrieved by relatives a day after the incident.

"I urge the parents to check the activities of their school children if they are really in school . If they are out of school , the parents should take proper guidance  to thier childen for might be recruited as NPA child warrior or be a memeber of the lawless elements operating the area," Maniquiquis said.

Manquiquis said "recruiting minors  to join in an armed group [was] against the law".

He called on civilians who find an improvised explosive device, unexploded cartridge or any kind of ammunition to report immediately to proper authorities to prevent an untoward incidents. —NB, GMA News