An explosion that rocked a riverside community in Dumaguete City at around 3 a.m. yesterday is being linked to the alleged turf war between two groups believed to be involved in the illegal drugs trade.

Supt. James Goforth, Dumaguete Police chief, said the blast in Purok Sampaguita, near the Banica River in Barangay Calindagan, caused minor damage to two houses made of light materials. Luckily, no one was injured, he added.

Some residents were roused from sleep by a loud explosion, and witnesses said they saw a man running away.

The blast resulted in some broken glass window panes and a hole in the wall of one house, the police said.

Goforth said they have yet to determine if the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device, or military ordnance like a grenade. Bits and pieces recovered from the blast scene are being processed, he said.

This is the third time that a blast was reported in the same area. In the past incidents, an unexploded grenade was recovered in the area, Goforth said.

Police have associated the turf war between two large groups of suspected drug pushers to the spate of killings in Dumaguete with many of the victims, either killed or injured, or the suspected triggermen, allegedly engaged in the illegal drugs trade.

The probable target in the latest blast is a perceived drug personality whose house was in the area, Goforth said. He, however, refused to name names pending further investigation.

He said that while drug personalities are out to liquidate each other, what concerns the police is the collateral damage when they wage shooting incidents, or similar attacks.*JFP

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