Twin explosions damage dump truck: Blasts hit Lim’s Hilton Motors

CEBU, Philippines — A series of explosions broke the stillness of dawn yesterday at the display center of heavy equipment dealer Hilton Motors Corp. owned by controversial Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

In the wake of the two blasts, police discovered that the bumper of a mini dump truck on display and the establishment’s electrical wirings were damaged.

Dioscoro Fuentes Jr., Lim’s spokesperson, told The FREEMAN by phone yesterday that the company’s operation continues after the authorities were able to immediately address the incident.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Alanas, director of Mandaue City Police Office, said that apart from damages to properties, no one was hurt in the explosions.

Security guard Ronilo Libre told the police that the second explosion came just about 15 to 20 seconds after the first one. The first damaged the power supply while the second hit the bumper of the mini dump truck, which was valued P20,000.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal and K9 Group (EOD) of Police Regional Office-7 is still conducting post-blast investigation to check the type of explosives the perpetrator/s used.

EOD, whose task is to immediately respond to explosion incidents within the region, is a newly-formed unit under the administration of PRO-7 Director Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas.

“We are now conducting post-blast investigation, ongoing pa siya, which will aid in the criminal investigation. SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) is doing the mandate as to determining what type of explosives had been used,” John Abreu, acting chief of EOD and K9 group of PRO-7 told reporters at a press conference yesterday.

As of this writing, EOD could not tell yet what type of improvised explosive device (IED) was used by the perpetrators as the group was still looking for any IED components in the area.

“We are looking kung isa po ba iyung improvised explosive device. May mga components na kailangan naming makita… We cannot rush anything. We must be precise about it, factual about it. We cannot just come up with (anything) just to satisfy the public,” Abreu said.

“Masasabi natin na madami-dami din siya (explosive component) kung makikita natin ang nangyari sa semento sa pavement na shattered niya rin. Enough to shatter the pavement,” he said when asked to describe the power of the explosions.

Abreu said several evidences were recovered from blast site that are now under SOCO’s custody. However, he did not divulge further details.

Authorities are now looking for possible witnesses to help their investigation.

“May mga tao na tayong pina-field doon. Lahat ng operatives natin iba-iba ang tasking nila para makuha ang full details,” Alanas said.

Alanas said they are not discounting the possibility that the motive may be business-related since the explosion happened at a business establishment.

He clarified though that they are looking into all possible angles.

Task Group Formed

A special investigation task group (SITG) has been formed to investigate the incident.

“We’ve created a SITG so that members of other units can help us like the Cyber Unit, Crime lab, CIDG (Crime Investigation and Detection Group), and others because we want strong information so makukuha natin lahat iyan. There must be a whole approach para mas madali ang pag-solve natin,” Alanas said.

As of yesterday afternoon, police were still gathering CCTV footages in the area that may help identify and eventually arrest the suspect/s.

The Mandaue City Command Center reportedly hosts a CCTV camera near the area but it has not been reportedly functioning since Wednesday afternoon.

Both Abreu and Alanas, however, assured the public that there’s no reason to panic since the case is considered isolated.  Abreu also shot down insinuations that the explosions were part of a terror plot.

“So we cannot conclude na part siya ng terrorism. Huwag agad nating ipasok ang terrorism because explosion could be just an instrument depende sa motibo ng tao kung iyon ang naisip niyang instrument. So it could be done by personal grudge or iyun ang sasagutin ng criminal investigation natin,” said.

Open to Probe

Fuentes said they trust the PNP in its investigation but could not point to a possible motive for now.

“We trust on the competence of the police to solve the problem… So far walang makita na possible motive, probably later once ma-identify na ang suspects ng (police),” he said.

The explosions happened just five days after a bar allegedly owned by Peter Lim – the New Infinity KTV & Music Lounge located along Archbishop Reyes Avenue in Cebu City – was set on fire by two unidentified men.

Fuentes, however, denied reports tagging Lim and his brother Wellington as owners of the bar.

“We do not see any relations on the two incidents. Infinity is not owned by Mr. Lim. Walang relation. Hindi kay Mr. Lim ang ‘Infinity’. Hindi rin sa kapatid niya (Wellington). Definitely it’s not owned by any of the Lims,” he said.

To recall, Lim was among the personalities tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte as involved in illegal drugs in the country.

PRO-7’s Sinas previously said that there is ongoing investigation led by national police headquarters in relation to the drug tag on Lim.

“Under investigation pa ni (Lim’s drug case and involvement in illegal drugs), ug wala pa update,” Sinas said.

Newly-installed Cebu City Police Office Director Senior Superintendent Royina Garma, echoed Sinas’ statements. Garma was the former chief of CIDG-7, the unit which also served the subpoena in connection to Lim’s drug cases in August last year.

Fuentes said they welcome any investigation conducted by any law-enforcement unit against Lim but reiterated their stand that Lim had no involvement in any illegal activities, particularly illegal drugs.

“That is their prerogative (police). We denied as early as the time when President Rodrigo Duterte involved Mr. Peter Lim’s name and until present, we are denying that we are involved in that drug (tag). In fact, the DOJ already spoke,” said Fuentes.

He was referring to the time when the Department of Justice under then secretary Vitaliano Aguirre junked the drug cases against Lim and several others, including self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.

The DOJ, under a new leadership now, has opened a new probe into allegations they were into illegal drugs. — JMD (FREEMAN)