Mar: No updates on Serendra blast today

MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas on Tuesday said no updates on Friday's Two Serendra blast in Taguig City will be released until probers have completed gathering the statements of witnesses and tenants of the condominium as well as the needed laboratory tests.

"No updates today. As per agreement today is for all the various investigators to work on the interviews and finish the laboratory work. Maybe bukas may update and final by Friday," said Roxas in a text message relayed by his staff.

Roxas earlier said bomb-sniffing dogs from the police and the Philippine Army did not detect any bomb residues at unit 501-b of Two Serendra, which was ripped by a powerful explosion at about 8 p.m.

The explosion was powerful enough to rip one of the unit's walls and send it crashing into a closed delivery van cruising along Mckinley Parkway road. The van's driver, Salimar Natividad and two helpers -- Jeffrey Umali and Marlon Bandiola -- were immediately killed.

The blast also injured five people, including the unit's tenant, 63-year old Angelito San Juan, who sustained second degree burns in 85 percent of his body. San Juan is still confined at the intensive care unit of the St Lukes Medical Center at the Bonifacio Global City.

Roxas said that probers have also combed through the debris field across The Mckinley Parkway road fronting the Tower Two Serendra and the open parking lot of the Market Market. According to Roxas, no bomb triggering device was found among the debris.

Roxas also said crime scene investigators of the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection have also began analyzing the blast's shattering pattern and the amount of force needed to propel the debris from the condo unit.

"Inaaral ng soco (Scene of the Crime Office) at BFP ang burn patterns at shattering o pagtapon ng debris. Kina-calculate nila ang amount of force needed na italon ang debris. Sa nagyon, wala pang nakitang triggering device sa debris sa kalye, but we are not ruling out anything," he said earlier.

Roxas said that there is also a possibility that the explosion was triggered by a gas leak.

"Dapat alamin kung ano talaga ang nangyari dito. Gagamitin ang siyensya at lahat ng ahensya ng pamahalaan, pati yung sa Army explosives. Malalaman talaga natin kung ano talaga ang nagyari dito nang ganun ay makagawa tayo ng sapat na hakbang at 'di na maulit ito," he said.