Blast rocks wharf near Puerto Princesa’s underground river

Underground river in Puerto Princesa. AFP

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—A minor blast occurred near a parking lot where vans ferry tourists to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, but no injuries or damage were reported.

Police and military bomb experts were still conducting an investigation of the incident even as the city tourism office assured the public there was “no cause for alarm.”

“Based on advanced information, there is no cause for alarm. The explosion didn’t seem to be from a bomb as earlier reported,” city tourism officer Becky Labit told the Inquirer.

Insp. Freddie Taliman of the Puerto Princesa police told reporters the blast occurred at 10:30 a.m. near the parking area for vans that carry tourists to the wharf which is the jump-off point for the underground river.

Taliman said they were waiting for the arrival of investigators to conduct a deeper probe of the incident.

A police informant, however, told the Inquirer that they were looking at the possibility the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device after some batteries were retrieved from the blast scene.

Labit said they checked with hotels and lodging establishments to verify if there had been complaints from visitors about the incident “but there has been none.”

The city police are expected to release an official report on Tuesday

.

In an initial interview, the head of the police detachment in Sabang told reporters the blast occurred near the parking lot where vans wait for guests visiting the underground river.

The incident occurred as the city government was in the midst of preparations for the official designation of the underground river as one of the world’s Seven New Wonders, which is scheduled in two weeks.

Located in the St. Paul Subterranean Natural Park, the river features an 8-kilometer guided paddle boat tour of the park’s caves, stalactites and stalagmites.

Originally posted: 1:51 pm | Monday, March 19th, 2012