2 men charged for grenade blast

Criminal charges were filed against the two men who were allegedly responsible for the grenade explosion that killed a 68-year-old man and reportedly wounded two others in barangay Carreta, Cebu City, last Wednesday.

Alvin Goc-ong, 24, and Eldie Mahinay, 40, were charged with murder and two counts of frustrated murder before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office.

Murder is a non-bailable offense.

Police said they will file separate charges against Enrique Bataluna, the person who allegedly instigated Goc-ong and Mahinay to throw a grenade inside an eatary.

Eduardo Natividad died in the attack while his 65-year-old wife Rosita and his 7-year-old grandson were wounded.
In an earlier interview, Mahinay said he was asked by Goc-ong to accompany him and was promised P10,000 as payment.

Mahinay said Goc-ong was supposed to throw the grenade but he asked the latter to do it instead.

In her affidavit, Rosita said she saw the two men who were responsible for the blast and said it was Mahinay who threw the grenade.

Goc-ong and Mahinay were arrested by pursuing police after the incident.

Police told CDN the two respondents said an alleged big-time drug pusher hired them and paid them P10,000 each for the job.
The alleged big-time pusher was spotted in the victim’s eatery, looking for Badang (Rodrigo Abatayo), Rosita’s son-in-law.
Badang allegedly owed the pusher a payment for 50 grams of shabu. /REPORTER ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL