Pandacan oil depot should be included in tanker blast probe - Lim

The investigation on the possible negligence that led to Wednesday night’s tanker explosion along the Nagtahan bridge should also zero in on the personnel at the oil depot in Pandacan, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim said Friday. In a radio interview, Lim said this is to ensure that what happened to the tanker will not happen to the Pandacan oil depot, which could be more disastrous and is the cause of fear among residents. Lim added that personnel from the oil depot could also be liable in the incident that killed a businessman and seriously injured his wife. "Meron din sigurong pananagutan sa oil depot, bakit nila kinargahan? Kung napuno, makikita nila tumutulo. Diyan pinagmumulan ng disgrasya. Sabi nila aksidente. May neglect din yan. Bakit pinayagang humila (Personnel at the oil depot may have some liability too. Why did they fill up the tanker if it was leaking? They should have checked it for roadworthiness. Otherwise, that would be a trigger of sorts for disasters. They claim it's an accident, but why did they load the tanker with oil in the first place)?" Lim told dwIZ radio. A petition to move the oil depot outside of the Pandacan is currently pending in the Supreme Court. Lim had already ordered full inspections of oil tankers for roadworthiness to prevent a repeat of Wednesday night's incident. The tanker was on its way down from Nagtahan Bridge and was heading forManila's Sampaloc district when it burst into flames, killing businessman Melencio Aquino and injuring his wife, Gemma, whose vehicle was beside the tanker. Several vehicles and houses close to the explosion were also damaged. Investigators initially ruled the blast an accident. Police are still looking for the tanker’s driver, initially identified as Leonardo Binamer, who had already sent surrender feelers. - GMANews.TV