Bomb scare grips Makati

A bomb scare swept Makati City yesterday as hundreds of employees and diplomats of two embassies were forced to vacate their offices while police ordnance experts detonated a powerful explosive discovered between two buildings.

Police initially said at least three bombs were found, but clarified later there was only one.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza placed the entire PNP on high alert as he expressed suspicions the failed bomb attack could be the handiwork of terrorists out to sow chaos during the holidays.

President Arroyo said the attempt was "part of a destabilization plot against her government," but she refused to elaborate.

She promised arrests within the next few days.

The explosive was found at a construction site between the buildings of Allied Bank and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) on busy Ayala Avenue. The building also houses the Canadian Embassy. The British Embassy is located at the adjacent Locsin Building.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for the bombing attempt.

The employees of Allied Bank, PLDT, the two embassies, Reuters news agency and many other offices were asked to vacate the two buildings following discovery of the explosive.

The evacuation triggered a monstrous traffic jam in the area.

In a statement, Allied Bank downplayed the incident by saying the discovery of the bomb caused a "mild frenzy" among the employees, who were allowed to return to their respective offices after the bomb was defused.

However, trading was not affected at the Makati Stock Exchange and other local financial markets, dealers said.

Mendoza said the bomb consisted of a box containing about 20 kilograms of ammonium nitrate attached to a timing device and a trigger mechanism.

"We’re just very lucky that it was discovered," he added.

"We have issued an alert for our men. Terrorism is being detected by the intelligence community. That is why our intelligence (gathering network) has been strengthened and has been empowered, and they are all over already," Mendoza said.

The President said possible suspects included a group blamed for a series of blasts in Metro Manila last Dec. 20 that killed at least 22 people.

"That’s why we have an intensive search and destroy operation to avoid such incidents," the President said.

But Mendoza admitted they don’t have any suspects yet.

Mrs. Arroyo cited the police for acting swiftly after the bomb was discovered.

"Actually, we have anticipated that there will be those who will try to undertake Dec. 30 anniversary bombings," the President said.

She called on the plotters to "stop this cruel madness or suffer the wrath of our people."

"The President would like to assure our people that the police and intelligence units have not put down their guard, and will continue to be on alert so our people will enjoy the holidays in peace," Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said.

The Dec. 30 blasts ripped through a coach of the Light Railway Transit in Blumentritt, Manila; shattered a passenger bus along EDSA in Cubao, Quezon City; and rocked an abandoned gasoline filling station on Ayala Avenue in Makati, a warehouse at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City and Plaza Ferguson in Manila, across the US Embassy.

Apart from the 22 fatalities, the explosions also left more than 120 people wounded.

Police initially blamed urban guerrillas of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for last year’s bomb attacks, but later withdrew the accusation in the light of forthcoming peace negotiations with the rebel group.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Cresencio Maralit also said yesterday’s bombing attempt could be part of a destabilization plot against the Arroyo administration, or the work of communist guerrillas to mark their Dec. 26 anniversary.

Maralit said an examination of the bomb materials would yield valuable clues. "The next 24 hours will determine the possible group who may have perpetrated that incident," he said.

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said it was still premature to make any conclusion as to whether the bombing attempt was politically motivated.

He also said the type of bomb was not very destructive.

A construction worker identified as Mario Tabianan reportedly found the bomb late Thursday night.

Tabianan told police investigators that he saw a box at an alley near his place of work and it smelled of something like kerosene.

He inspected the box which had some protruding wires, and decided to transfer it near a pedestrian underpass between the two buildings.

Chief Inspector Eduardo Balmaceda, operations chief of the Makati police, said the incident was reported to them only early yesterday morning by security personnel of Allied Bank.

The bomb was detonated at about 9:30 a.m. using a "small controlled explosion," police said.

It’s not that powerful — Aglipay

Metro Manila police chief Director Edgar Aglipay asserted that the bomb found in Makati was not so powerful, saying its explosive contents were "only enough to blow up a wall."

He cited as reference the Oklahoma bomb attack where a truckload of ammonium nitrate was used to blow up the basement of a building.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay disagreed with Aglipay, saying the potential damage would have been extensive.

Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez ordered the tightening of security in all terminals of the LRT and Metro Star Transit (MRT) with the onset on of the Christmas rush.

Alvarez took the move following concerns by commuters about the possibility of a recurrence of last year’s bomb attacks.

"Based on the instructions of President Arroyo, I am coordinating with PNP authorities on how best to secure the safety of commuters," Alvarez said in a statement.

The LRT and MRT were also directed to adopt strict security measures to prevent any untoward incidents within their respective facilities.

For its part, the opposition Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) branded as a "cheap gimmick aimed at further maligning the opposition" Mrs. Arroyo’s allegations that the foiled bomb attack was part of a destabilization plot against her leadership.

"She is the one destabilizing herself, but with the gravity of her allegation, Mrs. Arroyo should show us proof instead of resorting to media hype," the PMP said in a statement.

"We all know that the people are tired of her and her policies that instead of alleviating the plight of the poor, she only contributed to their miseries," it added. — With Marichu Villanueva, Christina Mendez, Paolo Romero