Senate panel rules NBI explosion was accident

The Senate committee on justice and human rights determined yesterday that the Friday the 13th explosion last August at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that killed seven agents at its main headquarters in Manila was no terrorist attack but an accident.

The explosion right inside the NBI premises was the first for the organization, giving the country's premier investigation agency a black mark.

Sen. Renato Cayetano, committee chairman, said the investigation by the panel belied earlier claims by some NBI agents that Muslim separatists and other terrorists or even a drug syndicate were behind the early morning explosion.

The committee recommended the filing of charges against Ruel Lasala, chief of the NBI special investigation division (SID), for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to property.

Fourteen other people were wounded in the powerful explosion that blew off the roof of the SID office at the NBI annex.

Cayetano said Lasala should be held liable for keeping inside the office explosive materials seized from raids in Cavite. Lasala should have turned over the explosive materials to the proper NBI division for safekeeping as is the normal procedure, Cayetano said.

The NBI had floated the theory that a drug syndicate tried to strike back at the bureau. Some witnesses had seen unidentified persons lob from outside the NBI compound what looked like bombs at the SID roof, the NBI claimed.

Police investigators called by Cayetano's committee, however, debunked claims of the explosion being caused by a bomb thrown from outside the NBI.

They pointed out that the crater inside the SID office, and the tearing of the roof outward indicated that the explosive material came from within.

The Senate committee also recommended that the NBI provide the slain NBI agents with gratuity pay.

Among those killed were lawyer Wilfredo Lucido, executive officer of the NBI's special investigation division; senior agent Arnel Asul; special investigators Fidel Uson ans Sonny Ibrahim; and civilian agents Judy San Miguel, Alex Rodriguez and Coni Pangalandan.

Six other NBI civilian agents were wounded in the blast, namely: Francisco Tupaz; Jojo Rodriguez; Antonio Eron; Teolimo Suyat; Joel Gillen; and Oscar Gabebe.

The civilians who were wounded were Norhasan Mohammad, Daang Sankala; Jundala Abbas; Juliet Gasco; Jeffrey Maravilla and Habis Disumangco.