Cops readying raps versus fireworks factory

MANILA, Philippines - Police are now preparing criminal charges against the owner of the Starmarker fireworks factory in Trece Martires, that left nine persons killed and 48 others injured.

Police Senior Superintendent Efren Castro, Task Force Starmakers commander, said charges of damage to property, criminal and violation of Republic Act 7183 will be filed against Salvador Tan today before the Trece Martires prosecutor office.

He said the final result of the investigation conducted by investigators will come out this week.

The National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Terrorism Division (NBI-ATD) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) investigation division have linked up with the local police to look into the incident that caused the destruction of at least P27.6 million worth of property and the death of several people.

Reports said the Task Force Starmakers has ruled out faulty electrical wiring as the cause of explosion at the fireworks factory, adding there was no electrical connection at the site where the blast occurred.

Investigators who checked through the debris found no ingredients of any explosion or dynamite that could have triggered the blast.

“We also failed to find samples of C-4 explosives and dynamite. What we recovered in the explosion site are fragments of firecrackers,” investigators said.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad said among the angles ruled out by the inter-agency task force as the cause of the explosion were sabotage, foul play and insurance.

In his report to Palad, Castro said they dismissed the sabotage angle because they found no other elements of explosives like C-4 and dynamite at the scene.

“What we found were raw materials for firecracker manufacture,” said Castro.

He said there is no foul play because the employees were satisfied with the way Tan runs the company.

Castro said even the relatives of the slain workers were not contemplating filing charges against him.

The insurance angle, he said, was also ruled out after an inquiry at the insurance commission revealed that the company was only insured at P2 million.   – Non Alquitran, Ed Amoroso