2007 Glorietta explosion
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Glorietta explosion occurred in the Glorietta 2 section of the Glorietta
shopping complex at Ayala Center
in Makati
, Metropolitan Manila
, in the Philippines
on October 19, 2007 at around 1:25 PM PST
. Initial reports indicated that the explosion originated from an LPG tank explosion in an in-mall restaurant. However, authorities were (as of yet) unable to confirm the true nature or source of the explosion. The blast has killed eleven persons and injured more than 100. Many of the victims were admitted at the Makati Medical Center
and Ospital ng Makati.
ruled out the scenario and consider the cause as a bomb. Whilst there are indications that it was an accident, the possibility of a terrorist attack cannot be discounted," the FCO said in the advisory. The United Kingdom
also reiterated that there is a high threat of terrorism throughout the Philippines as terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity and the intent to carry out these attacks at anytime and anywhere in the country. The Makati Rescue deployed a total of 40 rescue personnel and four emergency medical services
(EMS) doctors to conduct search and rescue operations. The initial team of 10 Rescue personnel arrived at the scene some five minutes after the explosion.
As of 7:30 PM (UTC +8), the blast has reportedly claimed at least nine fatalities and more than 100 were injured. Many of the victims were rushed on to the Makati Medical Center and the Ospital ng Makati (literally, Makati's Hospital). The National Disaster Coordinating Council (as of 5 p.m. Friday), identified 5 of the 11 fatalities as Lester Peregrina, Jose Alan de Jesus, Liza Enriquez and Janine Marcos and Maureen De Leon the laters body was recovered by Philippine National Red Cross rescue teams led by Richard Gordon. Meanwhile, the United States
and the United Kingdom
embassies expressed sympathy for the victims of the explosion, promising assistance to the PNP and government in the investigation. Officials also reported that 10 people were reported missing. Police investigators identified 5 of the dead and officially released the names of 34 of the injured rushed to the Makati Medical Center (as of 3 p.m. Friday).
As the investigation continued four days after the incident, authorities are favoring the possibility that the blast was caused by an accident and not a terrorist attack. Although traces of RDX
(Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) were found on-site, this does not form conclusive proof that a bomb was the cause, as RDX also has commercial applications. The most probable cause, according to authorities, was the accumulation of methane
gas in the building's septic tank
s and as well as other combustible materials in its basement. Authorities, however, are not ruling out the possibility of a terrorist attack and are still investigating the incident to discover the true cause of the explosion.
Finally, at November 22, 2007 the Philippine National Police
had concluded that the explosion is caused by gas
, and not a bomb
. However they still did not know how it happened. The policemen are now working on the negligence angle.
, Inc. (ALI)'s commissioned foreign experts found that the explosion was caused by a bomb with RDX
components - cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (used in military and industrial applications, in C-4
, a plastic bomb). On January 10, 2008, Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman announced that criminal cases of "reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, physical injuries and damage to property" will be filed against: engineers Arnel Gonzales, Jowell Velvez, and Marcelo Botenes of the Ayala Property Management Corporation, and Candelario Valqueza of the Makati Supermarket Corp.; engineer Clifford Arriola, Joselito Buenaventura, Charlie Nepomuceno, Jonathan Ibuna, and Juan Ricafort of Marchem Industrial Sales and Service Inc.; for violation of the Fire Code: engineer Ricardo Cruz, operations manager of Metalline Enterprises and its foreman, Miguel Velasco; gross neglect of duty causing undue injury: Makati City Fire Station Senior Fire Officer 4 Anthony Grey, SFO2 Leonilo Balais, Senior Inspector Reynaldo Enoc, and Chief Inspector Jose Embang Jr.; Makati City Fire Station chief - "for simple neglect of duty-for failure to review and validate before issuing fire safety inspection certificate." Ticman stated that per final report signed by DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno - "no bomb components were found at the basement of Glorietta 2 mall; the absence of any crater, bomb/explosive residue, or improvised explosive device in the "seat of explosion; no soot or blackening on the concave ceiling. The Multi-Agency Investigation Task Force final report detailed that the 1st blast was a methane
explosion, at 1:31 p.m. as the "gas accumulated after knee-deep water, diesel, human and kitchen waste at the mall's allegedly poorly ventilated basement was left unattended for 76 days"; the 2nd blast was "a diesel vapor explosion, at 1:32 p.m.; the National Bureau of Investigation "identified the possible source of ignition" - the motor control panel of waste pumps two and three at the basement; rise in temperature caused by the methane gas triggered the 2nd explosion. The Australian Federal Police and Powerpoint copy of US ambassador Kristie Kenney
's statement confirming the US experts' findings similar to the police's investigation results supported the MAITF's findings. On January 11, 2008, Chief Supt. Luizo Ticman personally filed the complaint against the 15 accused at the Justice Department, Manila
.
On January 16, 2008, Kit Collier, an International Crisis Group consultant / international terror and insurgency expert, told foreign media members at the Annual Prospects Forum, Mandarin Hotel, Makati City, that he doubted the delayed final report of the Philippine National Police's findings that Glorietta 2 blast was due to a gas explosion. Kit noted the traces of RDX, or cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, an explosive component, found in the site. Malaysian expert Aini Ling, commissioned by Ayala Land
Inc.'s (ALI) paid investigation, stated in her report, that a bomb caused the explosion, due to RDX traces at the blast site.
Meanwhile, Raul M. Gonzalez
will conduct the preliminary investigation on the criminal complaints filed by police.
On January 22, 2008, Raul M. Gonzalez
absolved Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) (attached company of holding company
for Real Estate
Ayala Corporation
), from liability in the 2007 Glorietta Explosion. But Gonzalez stated that Ayala Property Management, Inc. (APMC), is still under investigation.
The Department of Justice's "Task Force Glorietta" on May 22, 2008, recommended the filing of criminal cases of "reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple physical injuries" against 8 accused : Candelario Valdueza, project engineer of Makati Supermarket Corp. (MSC), Clifford Arriola, operations manager of Marchem Industrial Sales and Services Inc.; Joselito Buenaventura, Marchem supervisor; Charlie Nepomuceno, Jonathan Ibuna, and Juan Ricaport, all Marchem maintenance personnel; Engr. Ricardo Cruz, operations manager of Metalline Enterprises, and foreman Miguel Velasco Jr. The report however cleared the other suspects. The 51-page resolution denied Ayala Land
Inc. (ALI)'s bomb explosion theory and upheld the police's biogas
explosion evidence, but it absolved the Ayala mall owners, and Ayala Land engineers Marcelo Botanes, Jowell Velvez, and Arnel Gonzalez, for reasons: “It is uncontroverted that the Makati Supermarkt Building is owned by the Makati Supermarket Corporation (MSC) not by Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), which are separate and distinct entities; None of the equipment in the [supermarket] basement is owned, supplied, or designed by ALI.”
Inc. offered each of the families of the 11 blast victims a P4 million house and P1 million in cash by way of a settlement: deceased Jose Allen (husband of Marie de Jesus), Anthony Marius (husband of Melanie Arroyo), Leslie Cruz (wife of Carlo Cruz), and Ricardo (son of Amado Petras), inter alia.
's report.
Casualties:
Note: Out of the total injured persons, 95 have been discharged from the following hospitals:
’s Crossroads:
The day after the blast, normal operations continued in the Glorietta Malls after engineers inspecting the remaining parts of the mall found these structurally sound. Glorietta 2 remained closed, and some of the stores in the rest of the mall, mostly fast-food chains, remained closed.
On October 23, 2007, it was revealed on national television that closed-circuit TV cameras in the mall recorded actual scenes of the explosion. Camera 12 recorded scenes at the Glorietta 2 ground floor entrance, while Camera 10 recorded scenes of Glorietta 2's bookstore.
As part of the Ayala Center redevelopment, tenants of Glorietta 1 and 2 were given an option to relocate to the newly-constructed Glorietta 5; Glorietta 1 and 2 are to undergo reconstruction, with the addition of two office buildings and Holiday Inn & Suites Makati
. Tenants accepted the option, moving them until January 1, 2010.
has promised to cover the medical bills of all who were injured by the explosion. They have yet to return the vehicles stranded in the Glorietta 2 parking lot (Park Square 2) to the rightful owners. The United States and the United Kingdom, through their respective embassies expressed sympathy for the victims of the explosion, promising assistance to the Philippine government and Philippine National Police
in the investigation. President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
stated that there would be a full investigation of the explosion. She also said that the Philippine police
and military
were on their highest alert status, and that an additional 2,000 security officers were being deployed in public areas.
Glorietta
Glorietta is a large shopping mall in the Ayala Center in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The mall is owned by the Zobel de Ayala family and its holding company, Ayala Corporation...
shopping complex at Ayala Center
Ayala Center
The Ayala Center is a commercial complex operated by Ayala Land Incorporated located in the central business district of Makati in Metro Manila, Philippines.-About the Center:...
in Makati
Makati City
The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia...
, Metropolitan Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
, in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on October 19, 2007 at around 1:25 PM PST
Philippine Standard Time
Philippine Standard Time , also known as Philippine Time , is the official name for the time in the Philippines. The country only has one time zone, the UTC+08:00 time zone. The country used the daylight saving time for a short time...
. Initial reports indicated that the explosion originated from an LPG tank explosion in an in-mall restaurant. However, authorities were (as of yet) unable to confirm the true nature or source of the explosion. The blast has killed eleven persons and injured more than 100. Many of the victims were admitted at the Makati Medical Center
Makati Medical Center
Makati Medical Center is a 717-bed tertiary hospital in the Philippines. The hospital began operation on . Since its start in 1969, the Makati Medical Center has been the birthplace for many dramatic firsts in medical history in the Philippines, in Asia, and the world...
and Ospital ng Makati.
The explosion
The explosion initially caused the death of eleven people via shrapnel wounds and at least 126 others were injured. The explosion was first reported to be due to an accidentally ignited LPG tank from Luk Yuen Noodle House. However due to the extensive damage caused by the explosion, the Philippine National PolicePhilippine National Police
The Philippine National Police is the national police force of the Republic of the Philippines. It is both a national and a local police force in that it does provides all law enforcement services throughout the Philippines...
ruled out the scenario and consider the cause as a bomb. Whilst there are indications that it was an accident, the possibility of a terrorist attack cannot be discounted," the FCO said in the advisory. The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
also reiterated that there is a high threat of terrorism throughout the Philippines as terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity and the intent to carry out these attacks at anytime and anywhere in the country. The Makati Rescue deployed a total of 40 rescue personnel and four emergency medical services
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
(EMS) doctors to conduct search and rescue operations. The initial team of 10 Rescue personnel arrived at the scene some five minutes after the explosion.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
embassies expressed sympathy for the victims of the explosion, promising assistance to the PNP and government in the investigation. Officials also reported that 10 people were reported missing. Police investigators identified 5 of the dead and officially released the names of 34 of the injured rushed to the Makati Medical Center (as of 3 p.m. Friday).
As the investigation continued four days after the incident, authorities are favoring the possibility that the blast was caused by an accident and not a terrorist attack. Although traces of RDX
RDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...
(Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) were found on-site, this does not form conclusive proof that a bomb was the cause, as RDX also has commercial applications. The most probable cause, according to authorities, was the accumulation of methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
gas in the building's septic tank
Septic tank
A septic tank is a key component of the septic system, a small-scale sewage treatment system common in areas with no connection to main sewage pipes provided by local governments or private corporations...
s and as well as other combustible materials in its basement. Authorities, however, are not ruling out the possibility of a terrorist attack and are still investigating the incident to discover the true cause of the explosion.
Finally, at November 22, 2007 the Philippine National Police
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police is the national police force of the Republic of the Philippines. It is both a national and a local police force in that it does provides all law enforcement services throughout the Philippines...
had concluded that the explosion is caused by gas
Gas
Gas is one of the three classical states of matter . Near absolute zero, a substance exists as a solid. As heat is added to this substance it melts into a liquid at its melting point , boils into a gas at its boiling point, and if heated high enough would enter a plasma state in which the electrons...
, and not a bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
. However they still did not know how it happened. The policemen are now working on the negligence angle.
Final report and lawsuits
On January 8, 2008, Ayala LandAyala Land
Ayala Land, Inc. is the real estate arm of Ayala Corporation, one of the Philippines' oldest and largest conglomerates. From an internal division of Ayala Corporation, it was spun off and incorporated in 1988. It was publicly listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange in 1991...
, Inc. (ALI)'s commissioned foreign experts found that the explosion was caused by a bomb with RDX
RDX
RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4...
components - cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (used in military and industrial applications, in C-4
C-4 (explosive)
C4 or Composition C4 is a common variety of the plastic explosive known as Composition C.-Composition and manufacture:C4 is made up of explosives, plastic binder, plasticizer and usually marker or odorizing taggant chemicals such as 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane to help detect the explosive and...
, a plastic bomb). On January 10, 2008, Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman announced that criminal cases of "reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, physical injuries and damage to property" will be filed against: engineers Arnel Gonzales, Jowell Velvez, and Marcelo Botenes of the Ayala Property Management Corporation, and Candelario Valqueza of the Makati Supermarket Corp.; engineer Clifford Arriola, Joselito Buenaventura, Charlie Nepomuceno, Jonathan Ibuna, and Juan Ricafort of Marchem Industrial Sales and Service Inc.; for violation of the Fire Code: engineer Ricardo Cruz, operations manager of Metalline Enterprises and its foreman, Miguel Velasco; gross neglect of duty causing undue injury: Makati City Fire Station Senior Fire Officer 4 Anthony Grey, SFO2 Leonilo Balais, Senior Inspector Reynaldo Enoc, and Chief Inspector Jose Embang Jr.; Makati City Fire Station chief - "for simple neglect of duty-for failure to review and validate before issuing fire safety inspection certificate." Ticman stated that per final report signed by DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno - "no bomb components were found at the basement of Glorietta 2 mall; the absence of any crater, bomb/explosive residue, or improvised explosive device in the "seat of explosion; no soot or blackening on the concave ceiling. The Multi-Agency Investigation Task Force final report detailed that the 1st blast was a methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
explosion, at 1:31 p.m. as the "gas accumulated after knee-deep water, diesel, human and kitchen waste at the mall's allegedly poorly ventilated basement was left unattended for 76 days"; the 2nd blast was "a diesel vapor explosion, at 1:32 p.m.; the National Bureau of Investigation "identified the possible source of ignition" - the motor control panel of waste pumps two and three at the basement; rise in temperature caused by the methane gas triggered the 2nd explosion. The Australian Federal Police and Powerpoint copy of US ambassador Kristie Kenney
Kristie Kenney
Kristie Anne Kenney is an American diplomat and the current United States Ambassador to Thailand. She previously served as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines. She is the first female U.S. Ambassador to both countries...
's statement confirming the US experts' findings similar to the police's investigation results supported the MAITF's findings. On January 11, 2008, Chief Supt. Luizo Ticman personally filed the complaint against the 15 accused at the Justice Department, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
On January 16, 2008, Kit Collier, an International Crisis Group consultant / international terror and insurgency expert, told foreign media members at the Annual Prospects Forum, Mandarin Hotel, Makati City, that he doubted the delayed final report of the Philippine National Police's findings that Glorietta 2 blast was due to a gas explosion. Kit noted the traces of RDX, or cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, an explosive component, found in the site. Malaysian expert Aini Ling, commissioned by Ayala Land
Ayala Land
Ayala Land, Inc. is the real estate arm of Ayala Corporation, one of the Philippines' oldest and largest conglomerates. From an internal division of Ayala Corporation, it was spun off and incorporated in 1988. It was publicly listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange in 1991...
Inc.'s (ALI) paid investigation, stated in her report, that a bomb caused the explosion, due to RDX traces at the blast site.
Meanwhile, Raul M. Gonzalez
Raul M. Gonzalez
Raúl Maravilla González, was the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and was the Former Secretary of Justice of the Philippines. He was replaced by Agnes Devanadera in 2009 from the orders of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.-External links:****...
will conduct the preliminary investigation on the criminal complaints filed by police.
On January 22, 2008, Raul M. Gonzalez
Raul M. Gonzalez
Raúl Maravilla González, was the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and was the Former Secretary of Justice of the Philippines. He was replaced by Agnes Devanadera in 2009 from the orders of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.-External links:****...
absolved Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) (attached company of holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
for Real Estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
Ayala Corporation
Ayala Corporation
Ayala Corporation is a holding company for the diversified interests of the Ayala Group. Founded in the Philippines by the Spanish and German Ayala, Roxas, and Zobel families during colonial rule, it is the country's oldest and largest conglomerate...
), from liability in the 2007 Glorietta Explosion. But Gonzalez stated that Ayala Property Management, Inc. (APMC), is still under investigation.
The Department of Justice's "Task Force Glorietta" on May 22, 2008, recommended the filing of criminal cases of "reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple physical injuries" against 8 accused : Candelario Valdueza, project engineer of Makati Supermarket Corp. (MSC), Clifford Arriola, operations manager of Marchem Industrial Sales and Services Inc.; Joselito Buenaventura, Marchem supervisor; Charlie Nepomuceno, Jonathan Ibuna, and Juan Ricaport, all Marchem maintenance personnel; Engr. Ricardo Cruz, operations manager of Metalline Enterprises, and foreman Miguel Velasco Jr. The report however cleared the other suspects. The 51-page resolution denied Ayala Land
Ayala Land
Ayala Land, Inc. is the real estate arm of Ayala Corporation, one of the Philippines' oldest and largest conglomerates. From an internal division of Ayala Corporation, it was spun off and incorporated in 1988. It was publicly listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange in 1991...
Inc. (ALI)'s bomb explosion theory and upheld the police's biogas
Biogas
Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Organic waste such as dead plant and animal material, animal dung, and kitchen waste can be converted into a gaseous fuel called biogas...
explosion evidence, but it absolved the Ayala mall owners, and Ayala Land engineers Marcelo Botanes, Jowell Velvez, and Arnel Gonzalez, for reasons: “It is uncontroverted that the Makati Supermarkt Building is owned by the Makati Supermarket Corporation (MSC) not by Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), which are separate and distinct entities; None of the equipment in the [supermarket] basement is owned, supplied, or designed by ALI.”
Settlement
Ayala LandAyala Land
Ayala Land, Inc. is the real estate arm of Ayala Corporation, one of the Philippines' oldest and largest conglomerates. From an internal division of Ayala Corporation, it was spun off and incorporated in 1988. It was publicly listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange in 1991...
Inc. offered each of the families of the 11 blast victims a P4 million house and P1 million in cash by way of a settlement: deceased Jose Allen (husband of Marie de Jesus), Anthony Marius (husband of Melanie Arroyo), Leslie Cruz (wife of Carlo Cruz), and Ricardo (son of Amado Petras), inter alia.
Casualties
As of October 21, 2007, the following information was officially released per the National Disaster Coordinating CouncilNational Disaster Coordinating Council (Philippines)
The National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council or formerly called National Disaster Coordinating Council is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of National Defense, responsible for ensuring the protection and welfare of the people during disasters or...
's report.
Casualties:
- 11 dead
Note: Out of the total injured persons, 95 have been discharged from the following hospitals:
- Ospital ng Makati (32)
- Makati Medical Center (63)
Aftermath
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Dir. Gen. Geary Barias officially stated on ANCABS-CBN News Channel
ABS-CBN News Channel or better known as ANC is the Philippines first 24-hour news channel broadcasting both in cable television domestically and in satellite television internationally via The Filipino Channel, owned and operated by the ABS-CBN Corporation under its ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs...
’s Crossroads:
The day after the blast, normal operations continued in the Glorietta Malls after engineers inspecting the remaining parts of the mall found these structurally sound. Glorietta 2 remained closed, and some of the stores in the rest of the mall, mostly fast-food chains, remained closed.
On October 23, 2007, it was revealed on national television that closed-circuit TV cameras in the mall recorded actual scenes of the explosion. Camera 12 recorded scenes at the Glorietta 2 ground floor entrance, while Camera 10 recorded scenes of Glorietta 2's bookstore.
As part of the Ayala Center redevelopment, tenants of Glorietta 1 and 2 were given an option to relocate to the newly-constructed Glorietta 5; Glorietta 1 and 2 are to undergo reconstruction, with the addition of two office buildings and Holiday Inn & Suites Makati
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
. Tenants accepted the option, moving them until January 1, 2010.
Reaction
Ayala LandAyala Land
Ayala Land, Inc. is the real estate arm of Ayala Corporation, one of the Philippines' oldest and largest conglomerates. From an internal division of Ayala Corporation, it was spun off and incorporated in 1988. It was publicly listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange in 1991...
has promised to cover the medical bills of all who were injured by the explosion. They have yet to return the vehicles stranded in the Glorietta 2 parking lot (Park Square 2) to the rightful owners. The United States and the United Kingdom, through their respective embassies expressed sympathy for the victims of the explosion, promising assistance to the Philippine government and Philippine National Police
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police is the national police force of the Republic of the Philippines. It is both a national and a local police force in that it does provides all law enforcement services throughout the Philippines...
in the investigation. President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
stated that there would be a full investigation of the explosion. She also said that the Philippine police
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police is the national police force of the Republic of the Philippines. It is both a national and a local police force in that it does provides all law enforcement services throughout the Philippines...
and military
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force...
were on their highest alert status, and that an additional 2,000 security officers were being deployed in public areas.
External links
- The Glorietta Blast, a Special Microsite for the Tragedy in Glorietta - from the Philippine Daily Inquirer
- abs-cbnnews.com, Initial photos in Makati blast
- manilatimes.net, Chronology of events
- GMA NEWS.TV, Report on Glorietta 2 explosion posted online
- pnp.gov.ph/press, Glorietta 2 Explosion Report
- Ayala Land Corporate Website