Blast

I spent a year in the Philippines working and living around Manila. There was always the chance of an attack and it was always worse with the Americans in the center because we were excellent targets. From October of 2005 to March of 2007 we never had an attack within the city. There were attacks in the south of the Philippines but never in the city.

Which makes this news all the more painful and disturbing.  From Yahoo News.  (addl at LGF)

MANILA, Philippines – A bomb made from high-grade explosives — and likely set off by terrorists — caused the blast that killed at least nine people and wounded more than 100 at a mall in Manila’s financial district, officials said Saturday.

The bomb exploded near a mall I had been to and also dangerously close to the church I attended while I was there.

The strong explosion ripped through three floors of the Glorietta 2 shopping mall in Makati city on Friday, hurling slabs of concrete, twisting steel reinforcements, and shattering glass panels. Earlier police reports had said a fuel tank caused the blast.

And of course you have the people who would get along really well with the 9-11 truthers on this side of the pond.

Several opposition politicians and Arroyo critics had suggested the government may be responsible for the bombing to divert attention from scandals plaguing her administration, over alleged overpriced projects and bribes to lawmakers to defeat an impeachment movement.

Seriously people.  If this was Iran, Syria, Lebanon, China or some other country I might believe you.  But this is the Philippines.  A country striving for freedom from the shackles of the Spanish and American rule they experienced for so long.  A country trying to find a place in the world and the economy.  A country struggling for hope.  Arroyo has done many stupid things (several during my time there that made me smack my head with my hand) but this is accusation is beyond the normal brain functions of a normal human being.

I can only hope and pray that those who were murdered were not among those that I know and that the families who have lost will be supported in this time.  My prayers for the injured and affected.  The only thing is that at least it wasn’t worse.  Malls in the Phils are crowded, jammed and packed to the hilt.