BY ASHZEL HACHERO

EXPERTS from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are set to study evidence gathered by an inter-agency task force investigating the October 19 explosion at the Glorietta 2 shopping center in Makati City.

Experts from the Department of Science and Technology will also be tapped to determine whether methane was present at the Glorietta 2 basement.

Romulo Asis, head of the NBI anti-terror unit, said engineers from the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau will look for traces of methane and bomb fragments in items recovered by post-blast investigators at the basement of Glorietta 2.

Among these are a centrifugal motor pump, circuit breakers, control panel for submersible pumps, manual train for switch, motor control panel for pumps, motor control for diesel pumps, fluorescent lamp, two convenient outlets, and water pumps for electrical and mechanical matters.

Investigators have not yet recovered a submersible pump from the basement where the explosion was believed to have started.

DPWH personnel, particularly mechanical and sanitary engineers, will determine whether the mall’s sewage facility was properly installed.

Authorities are saying the incident, which killed 11 persons and injured more than a hundred, was most likely triggered by methane or biogas explosion.

But the mall owner, Ayala Land Inc., is urging investigators to explore all possible angles as it disputed the gas explosion theory.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay has called for an "independent, credible and impartial" body composed of representatives from the private sector and non-government groups to investigate the incident.

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile urged the Ayala family and executives to take full responsibility for the incident.

"The Ayalas cannot just haphazardly put the blame on anyone while saving themselves from very credible findings of miscalculations and neglect on their part," Enrile said.

"If the explosion was an act of terrorism, do (the Ayalas) think the US and other countries will not immediately come forward and denounce what happened in Glorietta? The fact is, they won’t, precisely because it was not the handiwork of terrorists," he added.

Enrile said the police findings were clear that the explosion was triggered by a buildup of methane gas and diesel fumes. He said this has been backed by security experts from the United States, Australia, and Israel.

Police authorities have said the American, Australian, and Israeli experts ruled out bombing in the tragedy after inspecting the blast site.

Enrile noted statements of David Nevo, an Israeli expert, in an interview two weeks ago that the incident was caused by a gas explosion and not a bomb attack because of the absence of bomb parts at the site.

He also noted the Israeli expert’s explanation that a mixture of "dangerous gases" such as methane with oxygen, especially in a "closed volume," can cause an explosion so devastating it could bring down an entire building.

"The Ayalas cannot shift the burden of responsibility as these (American, Australian, and Israeli) experts who corroborated findings of the police are volunteer experts, not paid groups," Enrile said.

"The Ayalas must remain true to their much publicized image as a responsible developer and good corporate citizen. They owe that to the public who over the years believed in them and made them an institution in the country," Enrile added.

Enrile asked local government units and mall owners to impose rigid measures and conduct regular inspections in all shopping centers "to avoid unnecessary, massive further loss of lives."

Majority leader Francis Pangilinan challenged the police to present the FBI agents and Australian experts who investigated the explosion. He said this would erase suspicions of a whitewash.

He said the PNP should explain the extent of the participation of the FBI and the Australian bomb experts in the investigation.

"Who are they? What are their names? How did they get involved in the investigation? Why aren’t they going public? Why is it the PNP who’s speaking on their behalf? Why won’t the PNP allow their findings to be presented to the media?" Pangilinan asked.

"While we want to give the PNP the benefit of the doubt, we still do not understand why the directive of the President to have the FBI and the Australian experts come out in the open to present their findings has remained unimplemented two weeks after the NSC (National Security Council) meeting," he said.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney expressed hope the US could stop its advisories against travel to the Philippines, particularly the South, because of threats of terrorist activities.

"I live for the day that that advisory is lifted," she said during a visit in Baguio City.

The Glorietta explosion has affected attendance to the 3rd Junior Delphic Games by the International Delphic Council scheduled from November 10 to 15 in Baguio City.

Twenty-seven countries with about 500 delegates were originally set to participate in the event. But because of travel advisories warning of terrorist activities, attendance was reduced to five countries with about 180 participants.

"Our experts say that is was an explosion. It is up to the PNP to come up with their own investigation," Kenney said. – With JP Lopez and Ma. Elena Catajan