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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Industrial accident caused Makati mall blast: PNP
MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday concluded that the October 19 explosion at the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City that left 11 people dead and more than a hundred persons injured was caused by an industrial accident.
“Based on physical evidence, our conclusion would show it’s an accidental gas explosion,” said National Police Chief Avelino Razon Jr., adding that investigations are ongoing to determine possible negligence on the part of the mall owners.
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Razon said the explosion was triggered by the combination of diesel and methane gas.
He added that there is enough evidence to support the findings of the investigation pursued by the multi-agency investigating task force. ”This was an accident waiting to happen,” he said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) initially said the explosion was caused by an explosive as bomb experts recovered traces of RDX, a major component of C-4.
Investigators later retracted their statement, saying RDX could also be found in personal items like deodorant and shampoo among others.
Foreign experts including those from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who are helping the police conduct the investigation, said they have not found traces of bomb components, thus support later theory of industrial accident.
“The conclusion is similar, that this is a gas explosion,” said Razon of the mall blast. “At this point in time, based on the evidence that we have, it tilted heavily on the accidental gas explosion,” the PNP chief also said.
When asked if charges would be pursued against mall owners due to the apparent negligence, Razon said: “That is up to the investigators. I cannot determine at the moment if there is liability (on the part of the owners), if there is negligence. That is up to the investigation.”
Alfonso Reyes, spokesman of Ayala Land Incorporated (ALI) that owns the shopping mall, said they will wait for the official police report on the blast.
“We will wait for the issuance of their official report before making any reaction to whatever their findings are,” Reyes said.
He said they might also conduct their own investigation and evaluation once the blast site is turned over to them by the PNP.
The mall management earlier debunked the police’s claim, saying there was nothing “unusual” at the basement of Glorietta 2 prior to the blast.
ALI president Jaime Zobel said methane gas was not the likely cause of the blast.
He also said there was nothing wrong with the mall’s sewerage system prior to the blast contradicting the opinion of the police that there was a leak there.
Meanwhile, echoing public doubt on the PNP theory that the Glorietta mall blast might have been a failure in public safety rather than the work of terrorists, Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan said FBI and Australian investigators should surface to speak up in support of the accidental claim.
"Is the PNP afraid that if the FBI and the Australians are made to talk they would be singing a different tune?" asked Pangilinan.
A National Security Council (NSC) meeting was called for by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo three days after the explosion. There, she issued a directive to have the FBI and Australian investigators assisting the PNP face the media to relay their own findings in relation to the accident theory.
“Instead we have these news reports about a supposed Israeli bomb expert publicly endorsing the accident theory. Why haven't the FBI and Australian investigators surfaced despite the directive of President Arroyo?" the lawmaker asked. (VR/AH/CPB/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (October 31, 2007 issue)
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