Reportedly owned by Peter Lim’s family: Two firms hit with explosives

CEBU, Philippines — Unidentified suspects threw improvised explosive devices (IED) at two business establishments in Cebu City dawn yesterday, destroying the front part of a massage parlor along Tres Borces Street in Barangay Mabolo.

The IED thrown at a KTV Bar along Archbishop Reyes Street an hour later failed to detonate.

The two establishments are reportedly owned by the family of controversial Cebuano businessman Peter Lim but his spokesperson, Dioscoro Fuentes, denied this.

“Never that it was owned by the Lims. That is our usual hang-out… kung naay mga bisita, anha namo dalhun para i-entertain but dili na gipanag-iya sa mga Lim,” he told The Freeman, referring to the KTV Bar.

The Mabolo Police Station received the report about the explosion at the Chuva Chuva massage parlor at 2 a.m.

The establishment’s security guard told the police that two men on board a motorcycle threw the explosive.

No one was hurt but the explosion broke the parlor’s glass wall and damaged its ceiling.

Supt. Ryan Devaras, chief of the Investigation, Detection, and Management Branch (IDMB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said no document could prove Lim owns the establishment.

“Allegedly, but dili ta ka-conclude dayun og wala ta’y evidence. We cannot really determine kinsay tag-iya nga supposedly nakaplastada sa ilang tindahan (business permits) but sa among investigation wala naman so unidentified pa,” he said.

At about 3 a.m., the police received the report about an IED thrown at the Infinity KTV Bar and Music Lounge. Fortunately, the IED did not detonate.

Police Chief Insp. Maria Theresa Macatangay, chief of the Abellana Police, said they are yet to receive an official statement from the bar’s owner.

Investigation on the two incidents is ongoing but Macatangay described the two as isolated cases.

Explosives

Police Chief Insp. John Abreu of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and K9 Group said the explosives used is reminiscent of the explosive used for illegal fishing.

“It appears to be like, na tinatawag nila na sa locals na ‘panagat’ allegedly, iyung ginagamit sa illegal fishing. May safety fuse, improvised explosive content  na tinitingnan ngayon ng crime lab, at improvised blasting cup, basing components,” Abreu said.

Why did the explosive fail to go off?

“Maaring na-interrupt iyung kanyang combustion doon sa safety fuse papunta doon sa ignitor kaya di natuloy. Kasi kung na-complete iyung burning, definitely sumabog,” Abreu explained.

PAST INCIDENTS

The Infinity bar is not new to controversy.

Just last June, three people tried to burn it down and several months earlier in March, armed men tried to ambush Lim’s brother, Wellington, just outside the establishment.

Abreu said the explosive they retrieved at Infinity resembles the one used on the establishment believed to be owned by Lim in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City in July.

President Rodrigo Duterte has tagged Lim as having links in the illegal drug trade. He is considered at large after authorities failed to implement the warrant issued against him in August. — /JMO (FREEMAN)