Taguig blast survivor, 2 other policemen could face sanctions

The only surviving police officer of a mortar explosion in Taguig City on Wednesday could face sanctions after it was found out that he, along with two other officers, were not authorized to tinker with an explosive they took to an ironworks shop for defusing.

Director Catalino Uy, head of the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force (PNP-SAF), said in a radio interview Thursday that they will launch an investigation into the incident.

“What they did was not authorized. Our investigation will determine the liability of the sole survivor in the incident,” Uy said.

Police reports said Police Officer 1 Elizalde Bisaya, PO3 Jose Torralba and PO1 Arnold Mayo, all members of the PNP-SAF’s explosive ordnance division (EOD), took an 81-millimeter mortar on Tuesday to an ironworks shop in Barangay (village) Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, near the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office.

The three failed to defuse the explosive with a wrench. Using a welding rod, a worker tried to tinker with the explosive, which led to the explosion.

Bisaya, along with Crisanto Daguio, owner of the ironworks shop, died on the spot, while Torralba and bakery owner Riza Romualdo were pronounced dead on arrival at the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital.

Mayo, who is still receiving treatment for second-degree burns in the face, is confined at the Quezon Memorial Medical Center. Nine other persons were also injured in the blast.

Uy said the three were on duty and had only asked permission to go to a bank.

“They (the policemen) should have cordoned off the area where the explosive was found, but instead, they brought it to a busy area where they attempted to defuse it,” Uy said.

“The Taguig EOD and their counterparts from the Scene of the Crime Operatives are reconstructing the explosive device. It will take them three to five days to finish the work,” Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario, chief of the Taguig City police department told the Inquirer.

He said they are also verifying reports that the three were on duty when the explosion happened.

Since the incident happened along a sidewalk, there was no significant damage to surrounding properties, he added.

For her part, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano assured the victims that they will receive medical assistance from the city government, while families of the casualties will also receive burial assistance.

“The city government is also ready to take the lead in filing charges against those responsible for the incident,” she said in a statement.