By Edwin Fernandez

BLAST VICTIMS. Vice Mayor Ralph Ryan Rafael (right in black shirt) of Matalam, North Cotabato, assists injured civilians board a police car who were hurt in a grenade blast at a carnival fair in Barangay Marbel during the New Year’s revelry on Tuesday night (Dec. 31, 2024). The blast killed a male carnival goer, police said. (Photo courtesy of Vice Mayor Ralph Ryan Rafael)

MATALAM, North Cotabato – A grenade explosion inside a carnival here left one dead and about five others injured minutes before New Year on Tuesday night.

The blast occurred at about 11:50 p.m. in a crowded carnival area in Sitio Condring, Barangay Marbel, according to Matalam Vice Mayor Ralph Ryan Rafael.

An initial police report identified the deceased only as a 30-year-old male, adding that some five others had sustained shrapnel injuries.

“The family of the victim deserves answers, and our community deserves to feel safe,” he said in an interview on Wednesday without identifying the fatality.

Police bomb experts are still investigating the incident.

“Let this serve as a reminder that peace is not the responsibility of one individual but the duty of us all. We must stand together, united by our desire for a safe and harmonious community,” Rafael said as he urged residents to remain vigilant and supportive of efforts to enhance security in the area. (PNA)