MANILA, Philippines – The clean-up of the Cagayan de Oro blast site was not premature, said Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima on Tuesday, July 30, contrary to initial reports it was cleared without prior investigation.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Saturday afternoon, July 27, scolded the police for allowing the crime scene to be cleaned less than 24 hours after the explosion, even instructing the police to “reconstruct” the crime scene through interviews.

The incident raised concerns that the clean-up would make it harder to find the perpetrators.

But Purisima said police investigation showed the site had been cleaned only after it had been processed, complying with rules. “I saw the photos sent to me,” Purisima told reporters. “[The crime scene] had been processed…the needed evidence [was obtained before the clean-up].”

However, Purisima said they were still not done investigating Cagayan de Oro City police chief Senior Supt Graciano Mijares, although first responders had been cleared of wrongdoing in cleaning up the site.

He said they are still looking into whether police could have prevented the explosion from happening in the first place.

“Right now we’re studying the responsibility of the chief of police and [his] failure to gather information,” he said.

Purisima said they would also see if police “got complacent after months of peace in the area,” and if found to be a terrorist act, why “the information that got to us was lacking.”

A day earlier, Purisima said he considered the cleaning of a crime scene as “obstruction of justice,” and vowed to see if there were any lapses committed by first responders and police officers for allowing the clean-up immediately.

On Friday night, July 26, Cagayan De Oro City was rocked by an explosion after a still-unidentified person left an improvised explosive device concealed in a black bag on a black monoblock chair outside Kyla’s Bistro. No angle or motive has been determined. 

Community help needed

Meanwhile, some Manila Doctors Hospital fellows and residents who were present at the blast had earlier raised concerns about the thoroughness of the probe being conducted by CDO police, after blast victims from the group – who were just two tables away from the bomb – were not approached nor interviewed by police.

After raising their concerns, Rappler learned they were later interviewed by officers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Purisima defended CDO police, and gave assurances the “CDO police is doing their job well,” in terms of the investigation.

He also encouraged witnesses to come forward and tweet him information.

The PNP head reiterated his call for community engagement to help police find the culprits, and share information — no matter how small — through Twitter or their police hotline.

“With the community’s support, I know we can [find them],” Purisima said.

Possible prevention

Four days since the blast, the police have yet to release the identities of suspects aside from composite sketches of probable suspects.

But the Palace too has assured the public that concerns on the delay of results “have been raised to the PNP.”

“Their orders are to ensure that whatever evidence they release will be strong enough to hold their recommendation and will ensure someone will be prosecuted,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Tuesday.

Valte also said the administration would have to look into the parameters of an old proposal to ask telecommunication companies to register prepaid SIM card, since past blasts in the Philippines have been triggered by a cellphone.

This, after senators ressurected the argument following the inability of the police to name suspects immediately after the blast. SIM card registration, proponents argue, would allow telcos to trace bombers. – Rappler.com