The police yesterday dismissed as plain and simple “tsismis (gossip)” reports that the fragmentation grenade that exploded at the residence of Mayor Jose “Oti” Montelibano in Silay City , came from inside it.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, however, said they are not discounting such possibility, as they are exploring all angles in the explosion at the Montelibano ancestral home.

Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante yesterday said the Association of Chief Executives in Negros Occidental strongly condemned the dastardly act done to Montelibano, and the ambush of Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Pena in previous months.

Escalante said the ACE strongly supports all the good things done by Montelibano and Pe ñ a in Silay and Pulupandan, respectively,

“We urge the PNP to do its utmost best in solving the two incidents”, he said.

At the same, Escalante said they also commended the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office under the stewardship of Franco for winning the award of best provincial police office in Western Visayas for 2007.

Montelibano yesterday described as “crazy” on reports that the grenade that was exploded came from inside of their house.

He also stressed that they do not possess any explosives.

Montelibano also said there is no truth to claims that small farmers in the Silay countrysides have been neglected, stressing his administration is doing everything to uplift the lives of Silaynons.

Among other complaints aired against Montelibano is dislocation of fish vendors in Brgy. Guinhalaran and increase in market rentals.

Silay police probers are looking into the implementation of reforms, politics and insurgency as among the possible motives behind the grenade throwing incident at the ancestral home of Montelibano.

“Task Force Pasabog” was formed by the Silay police to investigate the grenade blast.

Supt. Roderick Alba, Silay police chief, said he has given Inspector Reylan Coronel who heads the task force seven days to complete their investigation.

The task force is composed of two post-blast investigators, an explosive ordnance expert, and two more police probers.

Montelibano said he is taking the blast in stride as part of the Silay's growing pains. “It will not deter investors from coming to Silay,” he said.

Police investigations showed one of the two suspects who were wearing black T-shirts with bull caps and riding on a motorcycle, had lobbed a fragmentation grenade, and immediately fled.*GPB

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