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NDRRMC does a double take: Three, not six people killed in Serendra blast
(UPDATED 12:00 p.m.) - The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Saturday issued a morning report saying there were now six people dead from the powerful explosion the previous night at a residential unit of the Two Serendra condominium at Global City in Taguig.
However, in a press conference at around 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas said there might have been a miscommunication and that only three people were killed in the blast.
"Dito sa ating post, ang bilang natin ng namatay ay tatlo lang," Roxas said.
On Twitter on Saturday, radio dzBB reporter Allan Gatus also said the NDRRMC took back its earlier statement that six people died in the Serendra explosion.
Roxas identified the three victims as the van's driver, Salimar Natividad, and his two co-workers: Jeffrey Umali and Marlon Bandiola.
On its erroneous 8:00 a.m. report on Saturday, the NDRRMC said there were three other male fatalities from Serendra's Room 501 where the explosion is believed to have occurred.
The NDRRMC also said at least five people were injured: two males, two females, and a nine-year-old child who were passengers of a passing vehicle.
However, Roxas said the five injured were the tenant of the damaged unit who suffered serious burns, an American who resided in a separate unit, and three pedestrians who were hit by falling debris. The tenant remains at the intensive care unit, Roxas said.
A statement from Ayala Land, the property developer of Serendra, said 10 units were affected by the explosion and all residents had been evacuated for their safety.
The injured victims were brought to Saint Luke's Medical Center at the Global City for treatment.
No triggering device, no bomb traces
During the presscon, Roxas said investigators and bomb-sniffing dogs have not found any traces of a bomb or a triggering device so far.
Nevertheless, he said investigators are not ruling out anything and that the government will ensure that the probe is fair, transparent, and scientific.
"Di pa natin talaga masigurado kung bomba ba talaga o anong klase ng bomba," Roxas said.
"Inaaral pa ng experts 'yong series of events. Inaaral pa ng SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) at BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) ang burn patterns, yung shattering, kung gaano kalayo," Roxas said.
Delivery workers
According to a report by Nimfa Ravelo on radio dzBB on Friday, the powerful explosion ripped off a large slab of concrete from the Two Serendra building that crushed a passing delivery van, killing all its three passengers.
On Saturday, the NDRRMC said the victims were inside an Abenson delivery van.
Eyewitnesses posted photos on Twitter showing shattered glass and the heavy store sign of a wine shop across the building lying on the sidewalk. The walls of the affected condominium unit appeared to have been torn off from the impact of the blast.
The blast sent bystanders in the luxury shopping district into panic on a busy payday evening for shoppers and diners.
President Benigno Aquino III went to the scene of the explosion Friday to check what happened, and ordered the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, Roxas said.
Parts of Bonifacio Global City closed to traffic
Some parts of McKinley Parkway in Taguig City will be closed to traffic on Saturday as the debris from the explosion has not yet been cleared and investigators are still sifting through the evidence to ascertain what happened, authorities said.
In a post on its Twitter account, the Taguig City public information office said: "Due to blast last night, McKinley Parkway from 26th to 32nd will be closed to vehicular traffic."
In a separate tweet, the city government said 22nd Ave of Bonifacio Global City was also temporary closed.
The city government did not immediately give a timetable on when the roads will be opened to traffic.
However, all shopping malls in the area will still be open for business, officials said. - with a report from Andrei Medina/VVP/YA, GMA News
However, in a press conference at around 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas said there might have been a miscommunication and that only three people were killed in the blast.
"Dito sa ating post, ang bilang natin ng namatay ay tatlo lang," Roxas said.
On Twitter on Saturday, radio dzBB reporter Allan Gatus also said the NDRRMC took back its earlier statement that six people died in the Serendra explosion.
Initial reports on Friday indicated that the powerful explosion that hit the posh Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City on Friday night killed three people from a passing delivery van who were crushed by debris.NDRMMC, Binawi ang nauna nilang inilabas na impormasyon na anim ang patay, tatlo lang daw talaga ang nasawi #DZBB
— Allan Gatus(@allangatus) June 1, 2013
Roxas identified the three victims as the van's driver, Salimar Natividad, and his two co-workers: Jeffrey Umali and Marlon Bandiola.
On its erroneous 8:00 a.m. report on Saturday, the NDRRMC said there were three other male fatalities from Serendra's Room 501 where the explosion is believed to have occurred.
The NDRRMC also said at least five people were injured: two males, two females, and a nine-year-old child who were passengers of a passing vehicle.
However, Roxas said the five injured were the tenant of the damaged unit who suffered serious burns, an American who resided in a separate unit, and three pedestrians who were hit by falling debris. The tenant remains at the intensive care unit, Roxas said.
A statement from Ayala Land, the property developer of Serendra, said 10 units were affected by the explosion and all residents had been evacuated for their safety.
The injured victims were brought to Saint Luke's Medical Center at the Global City for treatment.
No triggering device, no bomb traces
During the presscon, Roxas said investigators and bomb-sniffing dogs have not found any traces of a bomb or a triggering device so far.
Nevertheless, he said investigators are not ruling out anything and that the government will ensure that the probe is fair, transparent, and scientific.
"Di pa natin talaga masigurado kung bomba ba talaga o anong klase ng bomba," Roxas said.
"Inaaral pa ng experts 'yong series of events. Inaaral pa ng SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) at BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) ang burn patterns, yung shattering, kung gaano kalayo," Roxas said.
Delivery workers
According to a report by Nimfa Ravelo on radio dzBB on Friday, the powerful explosion ripped off a large slab of concrete from the Two Serendra building that crushed a passing delivery van, killing all its three passengers.
On Saturday, the NDRRMC said the victims were inside an Abenson delivery van.
Eyewitnesses posted photos on Twitter showing shattered glass and the heavy store sign of a wine shop across the building lying on the sidewalk. The walls of the affected condominium unit appeared to have been torn off from the impact of the blast.
The blast sent bystanders in the luxury shopping district into panic on a busy payday evening for shoppers and diners.
President Benigno Aquino III went to the scene of the explosion Friday to check what happened, and ordered the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, Roxas said.
Parts of Bonifacio Global City closed to traffic
Some parts of McKinley Parkway in Taguig City will be closed to traffic on Saturday as the debris from the explosion has not yet been cleared and investigators are still sifting through the evidence to ascertain what happened, authorities said.
In a post on its Twitter account, the Taguig City public information office said: "Due to blast last night, McKinley Parkway from 26th to 32nd will be closed to vehicular traffic."
In a separate tweet, the city government said 22nd Ave of Bonifacio Global City was also temporary closed.
The city government did not immediately give a timetable on when the roads will be opened to traffic.
However, all shopping malls in the area will still be open for business, officials said. - with a report from Andrei Medina/VVP/YA, GMA News
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