By NNN-PNA/Bernama
Manila : The Philippine government is offering a P2-million (US$45,248.87) reward to anyone who could give any information on those behind Friday’s blast at the Glorietta shopping mall in Makati City that left nine people dead and more than 100 others wounded, Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported.
Philippine National Police’s (PNP) National Capital Region Command (NCRCom) chief Geary Barias, said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved a P2-million reward for the capture of the suspects.
He said the bounty is being offered because authorities are not discounting the possibility that the explosion was planned.
On the other hand, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay offered an additional P1-million (US$22,624.43) reward if it could be proven that the explosion was an “act of terror.”
This was according to his son, Makati City councilor JunJun Binay, who added that his father has given instructions that if the blast “is an act of terror, Makati will raise this initial amount for any info that will lead to the conviction of those responsible.”
President Arroyo earlier ordered the intelligence community to be on the look-out for terrorists to determine if the blast, which damage was estimated at P100 million (US$2.3 million), was their handiwork, although police said they have yet to identify any suspects.
Barias said they have interviewed several victims of the explosion, who have given accounts of the incident.
He said they would also talk to the employees of Luk Yuen restaurant as probers traced the source of the explosion to the storeroom of the said establishment.