MALAYA: Glorietta blast kills 8, injures 90

By ASHZEL HACHERO
Malaya
Oct. 20, 2007

AT least eight persons died while 90 others were wounded in a blast shortly after noon yesterday at the Glorietta mall in Makati City.

The explosion was initially thought to have been triggered by an LPG tank but police authorities later ruled that out.

“All indications show it was not a LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) explosion,” said PNP chief Avelino Razon. “We are still trying to ascertain the cause.”

Director Geary Barias, chief of the Metro Manila police, said authorities were still determining the cause of the explosion. “We cannot speculate on the nature or origin of the explosion,” he said.

“It is not an ordinary explosion. It is not an ordinary bomb,” he added.

Barias said it did not look like a car bomb but the damage was “extensive.”

The explosion took place inside a 50-square meter stockroom of the Luk Yuen noodle house at Level 1 of the Glorietta 2 shopping mall, he said.

Supt. Sophia Mendoza, Southern District fire marshal, said the blast could not have been caused by an LPG tank because there were no smell of gas and smoke at the site.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility.

Sources said traces of C4 plastic explosives were found at the location.

The bomb appeared to have been left near a cellphone repair shop at the bottom of an escalator, the sources said.

The victims were brought to the Makati Medical Center and Ospital ng Makati.

Razon placed Metro Manila under “full alert” status.

“I have also ordered the other regional police directors to make the necessary security measures, increase police visibility para maiwasan ang similar bombing,” he said.

Razon had warned that Muslim extremist groups would launch attacks after the end of Ramadan last October 12.

He also cited a National Intelligence Coordinating Agency report that the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf has been receiving fresh foreign funding after it posted in the internet video footage of the late Janjalani brothers seeking financial support.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, commander of the Presidential Security Group, said they were still determining whether there is a need to raise the alert around Malacañang.

The US Embassy, in a travel advisory, urged American citizens to “avoid travel to the Glorietta area at this time.”

Makati councilor Jonjon Binay said four people were killed on the spot by the blast and four more died in the hospital.

He said many of victims were hit by glass shards.

Anthony Golez, spokesman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council and deputy administrator of the Office of the Civil Defense, said the fatalities died of “burns and massive internal bleeding…It doesn’t look good.”

He also said the NDCC, chaired by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., is extending financial assistance to the victims but could not say how much.

The NDCC has activated its operation center in support of the local government efforts.

President Arroyo expressed sympathies to the victims and their families.

Press secretary Ignacio Bunye said the President has ordered the social welfare department to extend assistance to the victims.

Alfie Reyes, Ayala Land Inc. corporate spokesman, said the company will shoulder the hospitalization of the victims.

Reyes also said Glorietta will remain closed to the public “until we are sure that there’s no more danger and no additional explosion.”

DEEP CRATER

The blast spread panic in the mall area.

Ambulances and police were quickly at the scene, which was cordoned off. The wounded, some of them bloodied, were brought out on stretchers.

Blocks of cement fell from an upper story of the shopping center, hitting cars parked below. Scores of windows in nearby shops were shattered.

Charlie Nepomuceno, a mall employee, said the powerful explosion appeared to have centered on an escalator.

“It left a deep crater at the foot of the escalator,” he said. “It also ripped open the roof of the building. I saw a man thrown on to the roof. He lost a leg.”

He said the badly mangled body of a woman was near the escalator.

“I was eating lunch when the ground shook,” said a security guard who was nearby at the time of the blast. “I thought it was an earthquake. Then the electricity went off.”

Myleen Pasamba, who was among the injured, said she had just finished lunch at Luk Yuen when the explosion took place.

“Nagulat po ako sa pagsabog paglingon ko po nakita ko na may mga bumagsak at sugatan,” she said.

Mike Ochosa of Solar Sports Entertainment said he had just attended a lunch meeting in Glorietta and was leaving the mall when the explosion occurred.

“Smoke and powdered concrete debris filled the air after the explosion,” Ochosa said in a radio interview.

Authorities identified three of the fatalities as Lester Peregrina of Dasmariñas, Cavite, Alan de la Cruz, and Janine Marcos, reportedly a nursing student at the MMC.

Unconfirmed reports identified four others as Jose Alma de Jesus, Edwin Enriquez and Liza Enriquez.

Dr. Julius Drilon, medical director of the Ospital ng Makati, said one of the victims was a Korean national who had fractures, abrasions and lacerations on his body, but the injuries were not life-threatening.

A one-year-old child was among the injured.

TERROR ATTACK?

National security adviser Norberto Gonzales said government is looking into the possibility of a terrorist attack.

“This is not an accident…We are looking into a possible terrorist attack but “there is no conclusive evidence yet,” he said.

President Arroyo called for an emergency security meeting and ordered the implementation of measures to secure the public, especially in Metro Manila, like heightened security in buildings in crowded areas and more checkpoints.

Gonzales said government is instituting additional security measures because “hindi natin masasabi na walang kasunod ito.”

He said more than 2,000 policemen would be fielded to safeguard the public in the vicinity of the incident and in other public places.

He asked the public to bear with the additional security arrangements.

“Bags and boxes would have to be opened, there will be long lines but they have to bear with this because people’s lives will be involved,” he said.

Gonzales also said government is not ruling out the possible involvement of political groups but appealed to administration critics not to take advantage of the situation to create more trouble.

GLORIA’S WARNING

President Arroyo urged the public to remain, calm, vigilant and cooperative.

Arroyo, in a televised message after an emergency national secretary Cabinet cluster meeting in Malacañang, also asked destabilizers and administration detractors to refrain from taking advantage of the situation.

“I warn those who seek to exploit this incident to destabilize our government for their selfish political motives,” she said.

The President said initial investigations indicate that “it is highly probable that it was caused by an explosive device” contrary to earlier reports of an LPG explosion.

The President went to the Makati Medical Center to check on the victims and extend her sympathies.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, who is attending a conference in Japan, urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.

“The investigation should be seen as credible, impartial and thorough in order to dispel speculations about a possible link between the explosion at Glorietta and recent political developments. I sincerely hope that this is not the case but given the political situation, these speculations cannot be helped,” he said.

DIVERSIONARY TACTIC?

Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the explosion could be a diversionary ploy to “divert attention from government corruption.”

Sen. Francis Escudero said he would not be surprised if the incident was really a diversionary ploy.

Rep. Mujiv Hataman of the party list group Anak Mindanao said it was possible the explosion was a diversionary tactic of the administration amid the series of controversies it is facing.

Hataman said the administration has tried to revive Charter change calls to cover up the latest issues against it but failed.

Hataman also said speculations that it is a terror attack “must not be readily accepted” because this breeds hatred against Muslims.

“We fear that in the haste to solve the case, this latest incident will just be attributed to alleged terror groups, resulting to indiscriminate arrests of civilians, the target of which is Mindanaoans and Muslims,” he said.

MARKET DECLINE SEEN

A marked decline in the market is expected Monday as a result of the blast.

According to traders, the incident will spark a “flight attitude” among market investors which could pull the market lower from its current level.

The market on Friday closed 48.63 points to 3,819.75.

“It can be assumed that this is an act of terrorism and if confirmed, will have negative impact on the market come Monday. If it happened during trading hours, it would definitely pull down stocks,” said Francis Liboro, PCCI Securities Inc. president.

Liboro said it is a common response for investors to shield investments from deterioration when negative developments occur, compelling them to liquidate holdings and wait some time before participating in the market again.

“I think it will take about two weeks for this incident to settle down with investors staying away from the market,” said Liboro. – With Raymond Africa, Regina Bengco, Jocelyn Montemayor, Victor Reyes, Dennis Gadil, Wendell Vigilia, Albert Castro, Anthony Ian Cruz and Reuters