Abandoned luggage causes panic at Senate

MANILA, Philippines - A suspicious-looking luggage found a few meters outside the Senate building caused panic hours before the resumption of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona yesterday.

Julio Tiston of the Philcare janitorial services said they found a hard case with tripod in front of the Senate building around 5:45 a.m. but they assumed the bag was owned by one of the television networks covering the trial.

Antonio Goncero Jr. of the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms said they were informed about the abandoned luggage at 8 a.m. but waited for members of the press to claim it before reporting the incident.

The Senate security officials and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team immediately cordoned off the area around the abandoned luggage.

Bomb disposal personnel then tied a rope around the case and pulled it towards a waiting SWAT vehicle.

According to Senate Police Security chief inspector Jose Go, the case tested negative for explosives and only contained cables after the SWAT-Explosive Ordnance Division K9 unit inspected it.

Security officials at the Senate declared it a false alarm by 1:30 p.m.