Gov’t foot-dragging in Serendra blast

Why is it taking the government so long to determine responsibility for the May 31 explosion at Two Serendra in Taguig City which killed three persons?

If the cause of the blast, that ripped open a condominium unit at Two Serendra, was a leak in the pipeline supplying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), then it’s not hard to pinpoint who to blame: Ayala Land Inc., owner and developer of Two Serendra.

“It’s a very sensitive topic. That’s why we needed the help of experts from the University of the Philippines and the Department of Science and Technology,” said Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, when asked who should be held responsible for the blast.

If the blast was not caused by a bomb, which investigators are sure it was not, then it was Ayala Land’s negligence that caused the explosion.

One wonders about the outcome of the investigation if the Ayalas were not supporters of the administration.

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Director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) kept his word that the agency would be neutral and objective in investigating the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman by Coast Guard personnel in northern Philippine waters.

Rojas told me in a phone conversation two weeks ago that his bureau would not hesitate to bring criminal charges against those involved in the shooting, even if they happen to be our countrymen.

The NBI’s findings would somehow appease the Taiwanese who are crying for justice over the death of their compatriot.

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If the NBI had been tasked to investigate the explosion at Two Serendra, and not the Taguig police, the one responsible for the blast might have been pinpointed by now.

Take it from the way the NBI handled the investigation into the Taiwanese fisherman’s shooting death.

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The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has garnered two consecutive noteworthy awards lately.

The first was the excellent rating award from the Civil Service Commission for the agency’s improved quality of client service.

The other was from President Noy for having remitted P14.62 billion in taxes since 2010, making it the country’s biggest taxpayer.

With these developments, it would be good advice for the PCSO to introduce more new games to further increase its revenues and thereby maximize its services.

The revenues from its existing games are substantial and the PCSO has a commitment to increase its revenues.

Another new numbers game, Bingo Milyonaryo, has been introduced lately.

Those who want to try their luck should welcome these new games.