At least 22 people were injured after a grenade thrown by motorcycle-riding suspects went off during the New Year celebration in Barangay Dalapitan, Matalam, Cotabato.

The explosion stirred residents who were welcoming the New Year around midnight.

A video showed a boy with injuries in his legs while blood can be seen splattered on the road.

The individuals injured were rushed to a hospital for treatment.

According to the Cotabato Police Provincial Office, majority of those wounded were minors.

A resident who uploaded a video online said a 12-year-old boy is receiving treatment at the hospital, as of this writing, after sustaining injuries in his eye.

The uploader of the video added that victims were watching motorcycles revving their engines to celebrate the New Year when the explosion happened.

Investigators said the motorcycle-riding suspects approached the area and hurled the grenade at the crowd.

“While ongoing ang party, ang pag-celebrate, pagsalubong sa new year nitong mga tao sa Sitio Ipil-ipil, biglang may dalawang ka tao ang sakay sa motorcycle ang lumapit at biglang naghagis ng Granada,” Cotabato Police Provincial Office Spokesperson, Lt. James Warren Caang, said.

Police have identified persons of interest but have yet to disclose the motive behind the attack.

“May tinitingnan na motibo ang ating kapulisan, meron ding tinitingnang anggulo at saka persons-of-interest ngunit sa ngayon, di pa pwede nating ipalabas dahil tuloy- tuloy pa ang ginagawang pursuit operation,” Caang added.

The provincial government condemned the incident.

“Ang ganitong karahasa ay walang puwang sa lalawigan ng Cotabato,” Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza said.

The provincial government assured the public that immediate assistance will be provided to the victims and that it will work closely with authorities to ensure that those behind this incident are identified and held accountable.