Grenade found inside LTFRB toilet; work disrupted for 2 hours

MANILA, Philippines — A grenade was found inside the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Monday morning, temporarily stopping work for at least two hours.

A man even called up the office to warn them an hour before the explosive was recovered.

Insp. Noel Sublay, a member of the explosives and ordnance division of the Quezon City Police District, said the MK2 fragmentation hand grenade was found inside the men’s toilet on the third floor.

A man called up the LTFRB administration office at around 9:20 a.m. Monday and told a female utility worker that a grenade was inside the building.

The caller claimed to be a disgruntled employee of Philtranco.

“Nagmamagandang loob lang, naapi sa Philtranco. Nagmagandang loob, may inilagay na granada, apat. Bumaba na kayo, isa sa CR, isa sa labas (This is just to help, from somebody oppressed at Philtranco.  This is to help, grenades were placed there, four.  You better go down, one is in the CR, one is outside) ,” Sublay said, quoting the message.

The grenade was found at around 10:30 a.m., at a water tank of a toilet bowl at the third floor men’s toilet near the legal office and the janitor’s area.

The bomb scare disrupted work at the government office for around two hours, said LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez.

Employees were temporarily evacuated while police searched the building.

Sublay said EOD teams swept through the building, conducting a paneling search and declared it safe from any harm at around Monday noon.

The official noted that the grenade had its pin still intact, the explosive wrapped in packing tape.

Police theorized that the explosive was obviously placed by someone who managed to enter the LTFRB compound.

Sublay said they would review surveillance cameras inside the LTFRB to check if the person who planted the grenade was caught on camera.