Razon admits lack of PNP knowledge on chemicals

After the Philippine National Police virtually closed the investigation on the Glorietta 2 mall blast, PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. admitted the agency has learned a lot of things from the incident — that is, to improve knowledge on chemicals.

Razon said there is a need for some PNP members to further their skills on the aspect of chemicals to enhance their personal knowledge.

“It’s a good thing that other agencies readily coordinated with the PNP in the investigation,” said Razon, referring to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Experts from the BFP and NBI analyzed and examined more than 50 pieces of material evidence recovered from the blast site of Glorietta 2.

Experts later declared that the blast was an accident and not a bomb explosion initiated by terrorists.

Metro Manila Police chief Director Geary Barias earlier admitted that the Glorietta 2 mall blast was a complicated case as compared to the Batasan complex bombing that killed Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar last Nov. 13.

“Chemicals like methane were alien and unusual to us police investigators. But when it comes to explosives, IED, and crimes, these are part of our trainings and day-to-day activities,” Barias said.

He recalled that as soon as the explosion occurred, policemen and bomb experts immediately went to Glorietta 2 but failed to recover any sign of explosives at the blast site.

Investigators and officials of different government agencies felt relieved after announcing last Jan. 10 the final report of their investigation on the cause of the blast.

“Of course there was a sigh of relief. At least we can now focus on programs against street crimes,” said Razon after the briefing of the Multi-Agency Investigation Task Force (MAITF).

The explosion killed 11 persons and injured 108 others.

The MAITF, chaired by Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, held 15 persons responsible for failure to observe “due care and diligence” that could have prevented the accidental explosion.

The criminal charges have been referred before the Department of Justice, which will evaluate if there is probable cause to warrant the filing of case in court.

Explain presence of RDX

Meanwhile, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon said officials claiming that RDX is a harmless substance that can be found in deodorants, cosmetics and aerosols are either not doing enough research or deliberately misleading the public.

Biazon lambasted the PNP’s theory that the Glorietta 2 explosion was an industrial accident, caused by the explosive ignition of methane and diesel fumes in the mall’s basement.

“In order for this theory to hold, the traces of RDX found by the PNP must be ignored. But how can you ignore such a finding?” Biazon asked.

Puno tried to downplay the traces of RDX at the blast site by claiming that the substance is also found in ordinary items such as deodorant, aerosols and even cosmetics.

But Biazon, senior vice chair of the House committee on national defense, said his research did not yield anything about RDX being used in such everyday consumer products.

“All I came up with in my research is that RDX is an explosive substance used in military applications. How did traces of it end up in a mall?” Biazon added.

The congressman said the very name of the substance is indicative of its nature and use. “RDX stands for Royal Demolition Explosive or Research Department Explosive. How can that be used in deodorants and cosmetics?” Biazon asked.

The three-term congressman also said that the impossibility of RDX being used in consumer products is supported by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s classification of RDX as a “possible human carcinogen.”

Likewise, the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says that RDX can cause seizures in humans and is considered a hazardous substance.

‘Put up or shut up’

In another development, Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Panfilo Lacson yesterday clashed over the PNP’s report that the Glorietta 2 blast was actually an accident waiting to happen.

Lacson yesterday took the side of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV when the latter issued a statement criticizing the PNP for its failure to look into allegations that bomb components were present in the crime scene.

Enrile, however, said Trillanes should stop talking about his theory if he cannot present evidence. 

“If he has evidence, then let him present it. I have handled more cases than he can ever handle in his lifetime. If he has evidence, then stop talking, present it,” Enrile, a veteran lawyer and former defense minister during martial law, said.

“These are mere allegations,” said Enrile, referring to reports that AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales may have had a hand in the Glorietta blast.

On the day of the bombing, Trillanes – although in detention – pointed an accusing finger at Esperon as the mastermind.

“You are a senator who is admired by the public… anything you say is given high regard, (so it’s) up to him to prove him what he said, if he has nothing to prove, stop talking, shut up!” Enrile said over dzBB radio.

He also agreed with the PNP report that the incident “was a product of negligence of some people.”

On questions why the Ayalas were not charged, Enrile said the PNP can charge those they have evidence against. Aggrieved parties however can pursue claims for damages.

“You charge only people where there are evidence of guilt. You cannot charge Jesus Christ… You cannot charge Fernando Zobel de Ayala… How would you charge them if there is no evidence?” Enrile added.

Lacson, however, said that while the PNP failed to explain the presence of RDX found by the Army, it also failed to apply equal justice to those who may have been responsible for the deaths and injuries caused by the tragedy.

“If the PNP thinks Glorietta is a closed case, that is not so in the eyes of the people, especially those left behind by the 11 who died and of those who were wounded. They are still crying out for justice,” he said.

“No thanks to an ‘arrogant and insensitive’ investigation by the multi-agency body led by the PNP, the casualties in last year’s Glorietta 2 tragedy have been victimized twice over,” Lacson added.

He also noted the police’s failure to explain why they did not include in their report the discovery by an Army bomb expert of evidence that would have supported a bomb explosion finding.

On the other hand, he added that if the cause was indeed an accident caused by gas vapor, police could not explain why they recommended charges against the proverbial “small fry.”

“It’s a neither-here-nor-there resolution of the case,” he said of the findings.

Worse, Lacson said the supposed resolution smacked of preferential treatment in favor of the owners, which he said follows a “time-honored” pattern.

He recalled that owners or high officials were similarly “exempted” from charges in tragedies like the Doña Paz disaster in December 1987 that killed 4,000 people; the Cherry Hills subdivision collapse in 1999; and the Ozone Disco fire in 1996.

“That is the sad yet maddening thing about our justice system. The law was not equally applied. And there is a long history of inequality of justice here in our country,” he said.

“The victims are forever waiting for justice that has never been served and owners responsible for the tragedies mentioned have remained unreachable by the so-called long arm of the law,” he added.