bombed (?!)

Glorietta 2 after the blast (photo from the internet)

Past 2 p.m. Friday when the freaking news about the explosion in Glorietta broke out. I was at the Freeman newsroom and was about to write my reports when my attention was caught by colleagues gathered around the TV set. Curious, i joined them and was surprised when i learned that one of the posh malls in Manila was "bombed." I suddenly remembered by older brother who works in the same mall as a security personnel. Wasting no time, i immediately sent him text message asking how he was.

He replied: "Ok naman kami. Sa kabilang building lang namin (the explosion). Pinalabas na lahat ng tao dito."

It was such a relief to read his message.

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The alleged bombing, which happened early afternoon last Friday killed at least 11 people and wounded more than 100 others.

The Rajah Sulaiman Group immediately claimed responsibility for the incident but many doubt it because anybody could just lay claim of being the one responsible for the bombing to further sow confusion especially on investigators doing probe on the cause of the blast.

Excerpts from the Philstar report: "The PNP earlier said evidence collected from the blast site tested positive for RDX, a main ingredient of the explosive C-4.... The findings were however, being re-evaluated because all other samples from the blast site have tested negative for explosives, according to the three investigators.... They pointed out the possibility that fumes may have leaked from a huge diesel fuel container, or methane gas from a septic tank, and ignited in the tightly enclosed concrete basement."

Was it perpetrated by terrorists groups, by loyal supporters of President Arroyo, or was it merely accidental?

Your guess is as good as mine.