The Philippine Online Chronicles

Two police officers and two civilians were killed, while 14 others were injured in a bomb explosion in Lower Bicutan, Taguig City yesterday.

According to Director Alan Purisima, NCR police chief, police officers went to an ironworks to defuse a vintage mortar shell they found. After attempts with a wrench failed, assistant in the ironworks tried using a welding machine on the bomb, causing the explosion.

Dead on site were PO2 Elizalde Bisaya of the Station Action Force (SAF) and Crisanto Daguio, the owner of the ironworks shop. PO3 Jose Torralba, also of the SAF, and nearby bakery owner Riza Romualdo were declared dead on arrival at the Taguig Pateros District Hospital.

12 of the 14 injured were released from Taguig Pateros District Hospital earlier today. PO2 Arnold Mayo, suffering second degree burns to the face, was moved to the Quezon City Memorial Medical Center, while 17-year-old Angelica Coben was transferred to the National Orthopedic Hospital due to serious injuries to the left leg.

This is the second Taguig tragedy in as many days; a jilted man killed his former lover's mother and two brothers on Tuesday.

The news also follows an as-yet unrelated explosion in a Makati village on Monday.

Update (4:20 PM): Arnold Mayo, the only police officer to survive the explosion, may face an investigation for failing to act according to protocol. Standard operating procedure for bomb defusing mandates securing the area; however, the officers brought the bomb to a populated area.