Cops have CCTV footage on 2 Palawan blasts

Police investigators have footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and at least 12 witnesses to help them get to the bottom of the two bomb explosions that hit the tourist destination of Palawan on Maundy Thursday.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said he was told by the Palawan police and local officials that they have camera footage of one of the blasts and statements from at least 12 witnesses.

He said aside from the CCTV footage of the incident, the owner and four employees of Entaula Beach Resort in El Nido had given official accounts.

Two Marines who conducted a choke point immediately after the El Nido blasts also gave statements.

In the Puerto Princesa City explosion, Robredo said the police took statements from three bus passengers, the bus helper and the owner of a sack of rice and two sacks of charcoal where the bomb was placed.

Investigators are looking at two other possible witnesses, according to Robredo.

The interior secretary believed the almost simultaneous bomb explosions that injured three persons were politically motivated rather than a terrorist act.

“Both explosive devices used were similar and meant to ‘alarm than to harm.’ There were no shrapnels and other sharp objects used,” he pointed out.

Citing initial police reports, Robredo said the improvised explosives used in the two explosions were both triggered by cellular phones.

The first explosion occurred around 5:20 p.m. on Thursday near a bus station in Barangay (village) San Jose, about 4 kilometers away from the Puerto Princesa City proper. Two persons were hurt.

Investigation showed the bomb was placed inside a sack of rice dumped near the bus station.

An elderly woman who owns the sack of rice is now in police custody.

The second explosion took place inside one of the tourist cottages of Entaula Beach Resort in Barangay Masagana in El Nido. The bomb was placed inside a garbage.

A man working as a cook in one of the resort cottages was hurt.