Robredo: Palawan blasts meant ‘to alarm than harm’

Last week, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said he would ask the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to revoke Evenchance’s license after the raids that resulted in the arrest of 51 employees allegedly running a jueteng operation instead of STL. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Local conflict was eyed as the likely motive behind the apparently coordinated blasts that struck two of Palawan’s prime vacation spots on Maundy Thursday, whichauthorities described as meant more to “alarm than to harm.”

Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said the improvised explosives used in the incidents in Puerto Princesa City and the resort town of El Nido were of a similar nature, bolstering speculation that they were connected.

“I have directed the chief PNP [Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome] to conduct an investigation and get to the bottom of the case and look at all possible angles,” he said, adding that Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn made a similar request to his department.

Robredo said the Region IV-B police had organized “Task Force Hunter” to lead the investigation, headed by Senior Superintendent Abad Osit, Puerto Princesa chief of police, and Senior Supt. Reynaldo Jagmis, Palawan PNP provincial director.

“Based on initial findings, the device used in El Nido and Puerto Princesa are similar, meant to ‘alarm than to harm.’ There was no shrapnel, etc.,” Robredo said.

In a report on Saturday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said a bomb disposal unit and crime scene investigators had scoured the blast sites for evidence.

Retrieved in the El Nido resort were the apparent remnants of the explosive, including the metal case of a cellular phone, the positiveand negative terminals and metal case of a nine-volt Eveready battery, a leg wire, and pink-and-yellow plastic bags that were used as container.

The NDRRMC said it was coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command for “possible tactical reinforcement.”

At least three people were reported wounded in the blasts, none of them in critical danger.

The police said the first explosion occurred at 5:20 p.m. Thursday  in front of Entaula Beach Resort, Zone 3, Barangay Masagana in El Nido.

Minutes later, another explosion struck the North Highway in Puerto Royal Express Bus Station behind the Petron Gas Station, Barangay San Jose, Puerto Princesa City.

The injured in the first blast was identified as Aiza Gay Martinez Mallari, 23, a cook who was throwing garbage outside the resort when the explosion occurred.

Wounded in the second blast were Marivic Aria, 28, who suffered minor injuries on the left ankle, and Cenon Magdayo, 75, who suffered minor bruises on the forehead and ankle.