DoJ clears Ayala Land of liability in mall explosion

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Tuesday cleared real estate developer Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) of liabilities in the October 19 Glorietta 2 mall explosion in Makati City, which killed 11 and hurt over a hundred others. Gonzalez, in an interview after the send off ceremony for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at the NAIA Centennial Terminal in Pasay City, said that while ALI owned the mall, it was the Ayala Property Management Corp (APMC) that actually handled operations in Glorietta, including the hiring of personnel to ensure safety at the establishment. Asked if the APMC or anyone from the firm would be liable, Gonzalez said, “We are still looking... because the record in the SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) about the Ayala Property Management appears... that almost all of the members of the directors of Ayala Property are just there as nominal members." He said government investigators were still looking for people who were directly in control of the mall at the time of the incident in Glorietta. “I don’t want to telegraph the findings that we have now but it will come out. But I can say that Ayala Land Inc. is not involved here," he said. Gonzalez said he would release the Justice Department’s findings on the mall blast within the week. He said that at least three persons could be added to the initial 15 individuals who were earlier recommended to be filed charges for criminal negligence, gross neglect of duty, and violation of the Fire Code, in connection with the blast. - GMANews.TV