Senate security tightened after bomb scare

Mild confusion developed yesterday at the Senate after an anonymous caller warned the chamber's communications center that a bomb would go off inside the building.

This developed as former senator now Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez chided the military yesterday for insinuating that the opposition Lakas-NUCD has something to do with the recent bombings in Metro Manila.

Senate security personnel, assisted by Marine troopers and policemen, directed all Senate employees to vacate the six-story building as bomb disposal units searched for the purported explosives, but found none.

Security was tightened at the Senate following last Sunday's bomb blasts at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City and at the Glorietta mall in Makati City four days earlier. The explosion at the SM Megamall left a male janitor dead and at least 30 other people wounded.

All vehicles and visitors entering the Government Service Insurance System Financial Center at the reclamation site along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City were subjected to rigid inspection.

The stringent security check was implemented to thwart any attacks on senators who have been outspoken against the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)and the extremist Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao.

Among them are Senate Pro Tempore Blas Ople and Senators Rodolfo Biazon and Juan Ponce Enrile.

Ople has called on the military to "obliterate from the face of the earth" the main MILF Camp Abubakar in Maguindanao, saying it represented a fortress of the secessionist movements in the South.

Meanwhile, Alvarez branded the allegation as a "baseless theory speculated by a military faction that is right now grappling to come up with answers to appease an already disconcerted citizenry."

Alvarez, who was also a former senator, said Lakas would never be involved in anything that could undermine the democratic processes because its overriding interest is to help nurture democracy.

"Disrupting the democratic order is far from the opposition's agenda as this could only lead to instability, and the country's long-term development could only be achieved if an enduring constitutional order is maintained," he said.

Alvarez stressed that Lakas has adhered to its policy of "critical collaboration" with the Estrada administration.

"We criticize, but constructively. This process strengthens rather than destabilizes our democracy. This is the only way the nation will grow and move forward," he added.

Alvarez said instead of finger-pointing, the administration should do some "serious soul-searching" to find out what's wrong with the way it is running the affairs of governance.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health alerted all government hospitals nationwide to be ready to admit bombing victims.

"Hospitals on white alert are instructed to prepare for possible mass emergency," Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez said.

In another development, pro-administration Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto asked President Estrada to ignore the criticisms aired by Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin who said there is a growing perception of leadership vacuum in the country.

"I urge the President to focus on the positive aspect of the Cardinal's pastoral letter which is the Church's offer of help in finding an immediate and lasting solution to the Mindanao crisis," Recto said.

He said the President should instead ask the Catholic church leadership to present specific recommendations.

"Rather than be peeved by Cardinal Sin's criticism, perhaps the President should invite him and other leaders of the Catholic church to Malacañang for a dinner-meeting," Recto said.

On the other hand, a ranking official of the Department of Tourism (DOT) theorized that the perpetrators of the recent bombings in Metro Manila were probably some groups out to add chaos to the confusion.

Robert Lyndon Barbers, tourism regional director for Metro Manila, also shared the optimism of Philippine Tourism Authority general manger Lito Banayo that the local tourism would be able to bounce back from present setbacks caused by the kidnapping crisis in Mindanao and the bomb attacks in various parts of the country.

Tourism Secretary Gemma Araneta said earlier the tourist destinations in the country have remained "safe, pleasant and peaceful."

A DOT advisory quoted the Chief Executive as saying despite the destabilization efforts by certain quarters, the people can go about with their normal day-to-day activities since the government is not helpless in fighting terrorism.--