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Philippines files charges against mall engineers
11 Jan 2008 10:26:17 GMT
 Source: Reuters
MANILA, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Philippine police filed charges on Friday against 15 people, including engineers of an upscale shopping mall, holding them responsible for a blast that killed 11 people in October.

Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman, head of an investigation task force that determined the cause of the blast, filed three sets of criminal and administrative complaints against mall engineers, maintenance personnel and city officials who issued safety permits.

"It's up to the justice department to evaluate the evidence we gathered," Ticman told reporters, adding a panel of state prosecutors could amend the criminal cases before sending them to trial courts.

"They can include some more names or even clear some people we recommended to face criminal and administrative charges."

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said he would determine if there was "corporate liability" on the part of Ayala Land Inc. <ALI.PS>, owner and operator of the upscale Glorietta shopping mall in Manila's financial district.

"I want to see whether the people who are charged there are the proper parties or there are people that should be charged but are not there," Gonzalez told reporters.

The justice department has 60 days to evaluate the evidence before referring the complaints to the court for trial.

The police are sticking to initial findings that a methane leak and diesel vapours caused the lunchtime explosion at the Glorietta mall on Oct. 19 last year.

At least 11 people were killed and more than 100 were injured in the explosion that destroyed a large section of the three-storey building, housing restaurants, shops and an entertainment arcade.

Ayala Land, the Philippines' top property developer that runs the shopping complex and is owned by one of the country's richest families, said it was deeply concerned with the police findings.

It has said sabotage was a much more likely explanation.

"Our own assessment shows due diligence and care was exercised in the maintenance of the basement where the explosion appeared to have occurred," the group said in a statement on Thursday. (Reporting by Manny Mogato, editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Alex Richardson)


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An Asian Spirit plane that overshot the runway in Masbate island, central Philippines is seen January 2, 2008. The plane operated by a budget airline overshot the runway but no one ...


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Last updated:Fri Jan 11 10:24:12 2008