8 dead, 119 hurt in mall bomb blast

A powerful bomb ripped through a shopping mall in Makati City, killing at least eight people and injuring scores of others.

Police initially suspected the explosion was caused by a leaking cooking gas cylinder inside a restaurant, but later ruled out an accident, citing initial investigations indicating the blast might have been caused by a bomb.

The blast, which occurred during lunch hour at the Glorietta 2 shopping center, left 119 others wounded, police said.

The explosion sent shoppers into panic, toppling roofs, destroying walls, and sending debris crashing onto cars outside.

The blast, which occurred around 1:30 p.m. yesterday, was powerful enough to decapitate one of the still unidentified fatalities, initial reports said.

“All indications show it was not a LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) explosion,” Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon told reporters at the site. “We are still trying to ascertain the cause.

“This was a bomb. But beyond that we can’t say anything else yet because we are still investigating. What I can say is, it was not LPG that caused this,” he said.

Razon ordered all police forces in Metro Manila on full alert status and to put up more checkpoints in the metropolis.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias said an initial report suggested the blast was caused by a leaking LPG tank in a mall restaurant. But hours later, he clarified the explosion was not inside the restaurant but at the entrance of the mall and police were investigating the cause.

“It’s too early to say if it’s terrorism related,” Barias stressed.

Barias identified four of the fatalities as David Enriquez, Janine Marcos, Allan Sy de la Cruz and Nestor Perigrina.

Another fatality was initially identified as Anthony Arroyo, a seaman enjoying his last day in the country with his family.

Most of the wounded were brought to the Makati Medical Center and to the Ospital ng Makati.

Barias said the initial investigations revealed the explosion occurred in the stockroom of Luk Yuen restaurant located at the ground floor of Glorietta 2 west drive.

Policemen have secured the area to ensure the building’s structural integrity and safety.

Barias said area would be secured to enable police investigators and rescue workers to retrieve other victims who might have been buried by the debris during the explosion.

“We have experts doing the investigation today. There might still be some people who may have been buried there,” he said.

Barias said they were looking into the possibility a series of explosions occurred in the same area.

“The area affected by the blasts will be closed until the investigators declared that it is already safe,” he said.

Makati City councilor JunJun Binay said the explosion left an eight-meter wide crater on the ground floor and blew a hole through the roof of the second floor.

“From what I have seen, it was a significant explosion and that most of the dead and injured were all employees,” he said.

Witnesses said part of the ceiling collapsed while a concrete wall was blown out.

Several vehicles were buried under wooden planks and concrete debris outside the mall.

Glorietta owners Ayala Land issued a statement assuring their support for the victims of the explosion.

“Our primary concern is to make sure that the victims and the vicinity are secured. There is significant damage in the area. The other areas of Glorietta will be opened and will be secured. We have to do an evaluation, but we are not sure for how long until we assess the structural integrity of the area,” Ayala Land spokesman Alfonso Reyes said.

Reyes said Ayala Land has already made arrangements with insurance firms for medical assistance for the victims.

“We will make sure that they receive maximum medical care. We are refreshing the names of the people injured and killed on site and place them to the (Philippine) National Red Cross,” Reyes said.

“We are extremely saddened by this incident. We would like to assure the public that we’re taking all possible measures to ensure that all affected by the incident would be attended to with maximum care,” Ayala Land president Jaime Ayala said.

President Arroyo called for an emergency meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) following the incident. Mrs. Arroyo ordered the PNP to “leave no stone unturned” in its investigation on the explosion.

“The President is deeply saddened by this incident and extends her sympathies to the families of the casualties,” Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said.

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay urged a thorough investigation into the blasts.

Binay, who is in Fukuoka, Japan attending the Asian Scouting Conference, said the police should immediately track down the suspects behind the carnage.

‘Soft targets’

Barias, meanwhile, stressed there were no intelligence reports indicating an imminent terror attack.

Police did not immediately name likely suspects but did not rule out the Abu Sayyaf extremists as behind it.

The Abu Sayyaf was blamed for a bomb on a bus also in the city on Valentine’s Day in February 2005.

The Abu Sayyaf was also tagged in the firebombing of SuperFerry 14 the previous year, which killed more than 100 people in the country’s worst terrorist attack.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said yesterday’s explosion indicates another terror attack.

He explained the explosive device would provide a signature to trace those responsible for the incident.

Several months ago, authorities were alerted to an alleged terror plot to plant bombs in Makati and Ortigas district in Mandaluyong City, the country’s financial and business districts, a counter-terrorism official revealed on condition of anonymity.

Gonzales previously said the government is not ruling out future attacks on “soft” targets such as shopping malls.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for their part, immediately deployed technical experts to help the police in the investigation of the incident.

Following the explosion, the NBI immediately called for an emergency meeting to assess the situation on how they could help the police in the investigation.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring said he had declared a red alert status which means all operatives and intelligence are on alert for another terror attack.

Razon added yesterday’s explosion prompted the PNP to call an immediate command conference.

Razon  directed officials to review previous intelligence reports of terrorist threats in Metro Manila and analyze if these threats are linked to the Glorietta mall explosion.

He said investigators are coordinating with the mall management to review any surveillance videos on the area before the explosion.

Razon said post-blast investigators are now looking at possible bomb signatures.

No group has owned responsibility for the explosion. - With Marvin Sy, Evelyn Macairan, Christina Mendez, Rhodina Villanueva, Jaime Laude, AFP, AP