Two Serenda unit owner's lawyer refutes findings of blast probe

MANILA, Philippines - The lawyer of the owner of the Two Serendra unit which was ripped apart by a powerful explosion last May 31, on Thursday refuted the findings revealed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

Lawyer Raymond Fortun who is representing Marianne Cayton, owner of the damaged 501-B unit said gas meter readings from the unit showed that from Feb. 22, 2013 to May 24, 2013, there was "very minimal consumption of gas between March 20 and April 25, and from April 25 all the way until after the workers renovating the unit had left."

"At 2 p.m. today, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas held a press conference where he mentioned, among others, that the leak in Unit 501-B was caused by "unauthorized movement of gas range (which) caused a detachment of the gas supply hose. That it would take the DILG four months to arrive at this conclusion was disheartening enough. That the findings are even contrary to the evidence Ms. Cayton had willingly given to the DILG is just plain disgusting and borders on ineptitude," said Fortun in an e-mailed statement.

Fortun added that copies of the unit's gas bills sent by Serendra to Cayton from Feb. 22 up to May 25, 2013 were given by Cayton to the inter-agency task force that investigated the blast.

According to the gas meter readings, from Feb. 22, 2013 to March 20, 2013, the reading was at 4.57 cu.m

From March 20, 2013 to August 25, 2014, the reading was from 4.57 cu.m to 4.576 cu.m.

The reading from April 25, 2013 to May 25, 2013 meanwhile was from 4.576 cu.m. to 4.576 cu.m.

"The renovation works done in Unit 501-B occurred from April 8, 2013 up to May 21, 2013. From the documents, it is clear that there could not have been a leak that may have occurred during the period of renovation," said Fortun.

In her sworn statement which was submitted to the Inter-agency task force, Cayton said the renovation of unit 501-B did not touch kitchen area and gas lines and that Serendra management was aware of the renovation work.

The California-based owner of unit 501-B of the Two Serendra unit which was ripped apart by an explosion, also told probers that the unit’s kitchen and gas lines were not touched by the renovation works which started in the first week of April 2013 and was completed on May 28, 2013.

Cayton said the renovation work was just for the addition of another bedroom to the unit. The explosion at the condo unit happened on the evening of May 31, or two days after the supposed renovation works have been completed.

Cayton said she had contracted C+G Interior Design Studio to make the needed renovations. Cayton said she bought the unit in 2007 but the title was only issued to her in 2010. According to Cayton, she bought the unit for her family and friends when they go to the Philippines for vacations and for short-term leases not exceeding nine months, the last of which was last October.

Cayton said an interior designer from C+G Interior Design Studio prepared the renovation plans, which she had later approved. She then hired an outside contractor to do the renovations. She said the plans were submitted to the Serendra management that also gave the approval for the project.

“Special mention is made herein that the renovation did not involve any changes to the kitchen area, including the stove and the sink, nor did it involve a relocation of any existing gas lines, nor were there any works made therein where the existing gas lines would be affected in any way,” said Cayton in her statement, a copy of which was secured by The Star.

Cayton said she last visited unit 501-B last May 23 to check on the progress of the renovation job. She said, she then went back to he family and business in Anaheim, California.

Cayton said while in the US, Angelito San Juan, whom she describes as a family friend, called her up and asked if he could use the condo unit from May 31 to June 8, 2013 as he would be attending a wedding. San Juan, 63, was earlier reported as a US-based software architect for a car manufacturer.

Cayton said she then instructed San Juan to get in touch with her aunts Alicia Mendez and Herminia Ochoa as they are the ones in possession of the keys to the unit.

Cayton, in her statement said she has no knowledge on how the explosion at the unit happened as she was in the US. She added that the renovation work done at the unit could not have been contributory to the explosion as she was informed that there were no inflammable devices, implements or equipment present as of May 31, 2013.

Cayton added that the renovation work was approved by the Serendra management, which she said had “full authority and supervision over the approval of plans and the inspection of ongoing works.”

“If, from the plans submitted, there was the possibility of gas lines being hit by reason of the renovation works, Serendra management would have disapproved the same. By approving the plans, it is implied that Serendra management had no concerns of any gas lines being affected by the intended renovations,” she said in her statement.

“Serendra management had full power and authority to conduct spot checks on the ongoing renovation works. Needless to state, at no time during the period April to May 2013 were the works suspended on account of Serendra management’s fear, real or imagined, that gas lines leading to the unit would be affected,” Cayton added.

Cayton in her statement, also reassured probers of her full cooperation in order to complete the investigation into the cause of the explosion.