‘High level of certainty’ mall blast an accident--probers Lira Dalangin-Fernandez INQUIRER.net
October 23, 2007
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 3) There is a “high level of certainty” that the explosion in a mall in Makati City last week was an accident, authorities said Tuesday, four days after the incident that killed 11 people and injured scores.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said this was the report given by Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon at the National Security Council meeting presided by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
"There is a very, very high certainty that the blast was accidental caused by the presence of certain structures underground that caused the explosion," Puno told reporters in Malacañang after the meeting.
Razon confirmed this but said that investigators were still not ruling out the possibility that the explosion was a terrorist attack.
Puno said police were still in the final stages of studying the pieces of evidence to make a final determination of the cause of the blast last Friday at the Glorietta mall.
Puno said the latest police findings were not inconsistent with the report of the PNP crime laboratory last Saturday, which said that traces of the "highly explosive" RDX were found in the blast site.
Based on studies, Puno said there were also commercial uses of RDX, adding that its presence does not indicate a bomb.
Razon said the theory of an "accidental explosion" was what was appearing to be the case based on evidence gathered on the scene.
"But we are not totally discarding the bomb blast theory. The investigation continues to proceed and we are looking at all angles," he said.
Asked why investigators see it more as an accident, Razon explained that "first, until now, we have yet to see bomb component after four days of combing through the debris; second, the absence of a bomb crater. … and third, subsequent tests conducted yielded negative for any traces of nitrate."
Razon added that the supposed crater that was initially reported to have been created by the explosion was actually a stairway leading to the basement.
Razon said the President was "satisfied" with the progress report as well as the measures taken by the PNP to secure the public.
With the possible accident theory, Puno said authorities would also try to determine the liability of the mall owner.
"We are going to determine that, whether this constitutes willful negligence and see whether there is criminal liability on the part of anyone," he said.
In a separate interview, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales also said that all the elements involved in the investigation pointed to an accident.
Puno also announced the creation of a task force that would conduct safety inspection of basements of buildings and malls to ensure that the structures are safe.
The mall explosion, security, and the government’s anti-terrorism campaign topped this Tuesday’s NSC meeting.
In her opening statement, Arroyo said in Filipino that there was a need to review the government’s anti-terror campaign and other programs concerning security.
“Although the investigation in Glorietta is not yet finished, we need to beef up our efforts to ensure that our country is safe,” she said.
Arroyo said measures would be taken to strengthen the capability of the police and the military, peace process with the rebels, and the country's alliance with other countries in the area of security.
"Enemies of the state think that we will easily succumb to fear, chaos and conflict. They are wrong. The Philippines is moving forward. Let us not allow ourselves to be deterred,” she said.
After the President delivered her opening statement, Speaker Jose de Venecia, whose relationship with her has been reported to have been strained by allegations of corruption from his son, Jose de Venecia III, arrived.
"Good morning, Joe," Arroyo greeted the Speaker by his nickname.
Former president Fidel Ramos, Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis Pangilinan, representing Senate Manuel Villar who is out of the country, security officials, and several Cabinet members were also present.
Arroyo said the Department of Labor and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas would report on measures taken to mitigate the effects of the strong peso on remittances of overseas Filipino workers.
Arroyo also directed members of her Cabinet to constantly report to the public government efforts in the area of security, human rights, and alleviating poverty.
Meanwhile, the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce said its confidence in the government has not waned.
"We believe in the Philippines and its future, we believe in the strength of its economy and most of all, we believe in the capability, fortitude, and goodness of the Filipino people," the group said in a statement released by the Press Secretary and acting Executive Secretary Ignacio Bunye.
"We call on the business community in the Philippines and in the US to continue to invest in the country and provide jobs," it added.
Shortly before the explosion last week, Arroyo had ordered an investigation into allegations that bags of cash were handed to lawmakers and governors in her office to block a new impeachment bid against her.
The scandal broke after two provincial governors, including a Catholic priest, said they each received P500,000 from an unidentified government official after Arroyo had met them and more than 100 mostly pro-administration members of the House of Representatives.
Influential Roman Catholic bishops said the allegations demonstrated the country's "moral bankruptcy, disappointingly being shown by our leaders."
Some of the bishops have joined several opposition senators in calling for Arroyo to resign, but her officials have rejected any such suggestion.
Newspapers and pundits have speculated that the money was meant to secure support for Arroyo in the lower house, where she faced a third impeachment bid in as many years -- this time over allegations of corruption stemming from an allegedly overpriced contract with a Chinese telecommunications company. The deal was recently scrapped.
Arroyo survived two previous impeachment attempts over alleged vote-rigging and corruption when her House allies used their overwhelming numbers to dismiss the complaints on a technicality.
With a report from Associated Press; Originally posted at 11:29am
