Grenade fragments found in Olongapo bus debris

OLONGAPO CITY -- Police investigators found grenade fragments in the debris of a Victory Liner bus whose conductor died in an explosion in Olongapo City on Thursday, Chief Superintendent Ismael Rafanan, Central Luzon police director, said.

Rafanan said investigators were trying to trace the serial number of the grenade to determine if it was military issue or was from another source.

He said the explosion, at the Victory Liner terminal in West Bajac-Bajac, bore no indications of being a terrorist attack although he claimed the bus company had been receiving extortion letters ostensibly form the New People’s Army (NPA) or a rival faction, the Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Bayan.

"It got a lot of those letters," Rafanan said.

But Pocholo Galian, Victory Liner Olongapo-Zambales area manager denied the firm had received extortion letters from communist rebels.

Victory Liner station master Alex Paundo also ruled out extortion by the NPA as the motive for the explosion, citing the circumstances surrounding the blast. He said rebels normally commandeer a bus, ask passengers to alight and pour gasoline on the vehicle before setting it on fire.

"All we have at the moment are initial findings. Let us wait for the results of the investigation," said Police Officer 3 Tyrone Tecson, one of the investigators.

Bus conductor Louie Melanio, 25, died instantly when a box apparently left by a passenger exploded after he opened its lid.

Driver Angelito Espejo, 38, and janitor Ramil Nabares, 35, survived by immediately jumping out of the bus as the fire triggered by the explosion spread.

Espejo said the explosion occurred minutes after they had unloaded 28 passengers. The bus left Pasay City at noon and arrived here at 4 p.m.

Witness Vicente Arce, 56, said the bus' rear portion caught fire while the driver was maneuvering to bring it to one of the parking spaces inside the terminal.

"The blaze immediately spread, shattering the windows and sending people in the terminal scampering for safety," he said. "I did not notice who brought the box inside the bus. It looked like a radio component and was placed at the rear of the bus."

Two women passengers seated at the rear of the bus said they saw Melanio and another man discussing where to put several boxes loaded into the bus before it left Pasay City.

Maria Gloria Lebato, 48, said a man in his 30s loaded at least six boxes and stacked them along the aisle. But the other passenger, Madeliene Duckert, 25, said she could not remember if the man took the trip to Olongapo.

"The conductor might have known him because he was very insistent on loading his boxes. I can identify that man if ever I see him again," Duckert told police.

Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr. has ordered an investigation and warned against immediately linking the incident to terrorism.

"Police investigators are considering all possible angles. We can't make any conclusion until they have gathered all pieces of evidence," he said.

Galian said an investigation would try to establish if there were lapses in checking passengers' baggage and cargoes. "There is no reason for alarm. We assure the public that our bus company is doing everything to safeguard lives and properties," he said.
By Tonette Orejas, Ansbert Joaquin, Allan Macatuno, Cesar Villa - Inquirer Central Luzon