5 eyed in Tondo firecracker blast

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January 1, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Five persons of interest in the firecracker explosion that killed a 12-year-old boy on Sunday in Tondo have yet to appear before the authorities, the Manila Police District (MPD) said yesterday.

Based on initial investigation, the group lit a firecracker twice and discarded it when it did not explode, MPD spokesman Maj. Philipp Ines told radio dzBB.

Although the suspects drenched the firecracker before leaving it behind, Ines noted that it could still explode after drying up.

Police said the firecracker could either be “goodbye Philippines” or “Bin Laden.”

Ines said the victim’s companion, another boy aged 12, remains unstable due to internal bleeding after undergoing surgery at the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center.

According to an ABS-CBN News report, one of the five persons of interest is a kagawad or councilman.

The councilor could be suspended if proven guilty, Barangay 226 captain Lally Polintan said.

Meanwhile, 15 people were brought to Tondo Medical Center for firework-related injuries, with the youngest patient aged four, according to radio reports.