Probers firm on Glorietta blast findings

MANILA, Philippines - Police and fire officials who took part in the Glorietta 2 blast probe stood pat on their findings that the explosion was an accident.

Retired police Director Luizo Ticman said the findings that methane gas caused the explosion at the basement of Glorietta 2 in Makati City last Oct. 19, 2007 was supported by several other independent investigating bodies.

“The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), Australian experts and analysts from the Ateneo-based PIFAC (Philip Institute for Pure and Applied Chemistry) conducted their respective independent investigations and all of them found no trace of explosives,” Ticman told The STAR.

He said the FBI, Australian experts and PIFAC are reputable organizations that will not fabricate evidence just to satisfy certain quarters, as what retired Maj. Allan Sollano, a former member of Army’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team, insinuated.

He also questioned Sollano’s motive in claiming that a bomb explosion killed 11 persons and injured some 108 persons in that accident.

Ticman was the chief of the Southern Police District (SPD), which has jurisdiction over Makati City, when the blast took place last Oct. 19.

“We speak based on evidence just like all other agencies which investigated the incident,” he said.

The findings were supported with concrete evidence and analysis of experts from different government agencies, which composed the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Ticman, who headed the investigating team, said their findings were posted on the Philippine National Police (PNP) website for everyone to scrutinize and the case has been submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

He said they prepared a report last Jan. 15, 2008 questioning Sollano’s procedure in collecting pieces of evidence from the scene.

According to the report, Sollano said that he was the one who recovered a partially burnt plastic bag at the basement of Makati Supermarket of the Glorietta 2.

However, in another statement, Sollano claimed that a team of investigators recovered the plastic bag at the back of a Honda Civic parked at the delivery bay of Luk Yuen restaurant.

The retired explosives expert also hinted that the investigation results linking the previous administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the blast had been whitewashed.

“There was inconsistency in the statement of Maj. Sollano. Considering that he failed to observe proper procedures prior to lifting of any physical evidence in the crime scene (proper packaging, labeling, taking of photographs, sketching, marking) when it was handed to him by S/Sgt. Maravilla, the integrity of the collected evidence was seriously affected,” the report stated.

“The truth will always be the truth. We did the investigation for the country, for the people and for humanity,” Ticman said.

Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo said the resolve of the present government to address public concerns has apparently encouraged the public to come forward and tell the truth, like that of the case of the Glorietta 2 bombing. Robredo encouraged the public to come forward and help the government stop irregularities in some government agencies.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima confirmed yesterday that she would assign investigators to verify Sollano’s claims. – Christina Mendez