Elliott was just at this mall. I hope all of our posters from that area are safe and secure. If you are from the Philippines can you please chime in to let us all know you are safe.

They aren't sure if this is a result of terrorism or not yet.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071019/ap_on_...pines_explosion

"The explosion extensively damaged the Glorietta 2 shopping complex in Makati, toppling roofs, destroying walls, and sending debris crashing onto cars outside.

At least eight people died and as many as 70 others were hurt, Barias said"

Wow - thanks for brining this over - yes, Yaminoys report in please!

Yeah, it's been really scary here in Manila the past few hours. Everyone has pretty much been on edge. The blast happened at GLORIETTA MALL, the same mall that Elliott performed in on September 22. Really really scary.

This article is from the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

Bomb likely’ in Makati mall blast--Razon

8 dead, more than 80 hurt
By Thea Alberto
Agence France-Presse, INQUIRER.net
Last updated 07:20pm (Mla time) 10/19/2007



MANILA, Philippines -- An explosion at a shopping mall in Makati City early Friday afternoon that killed eight people and injured more than a hundred others was "probably caused by a bomb," Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon told Agence France-Presse.

Razon and Alfonso Reyes, spokesman of Ayala Corp., which operates the Glorieta 2 Mall where the explosion occurred at around 1:40 p.m., said eight people had been killed.

Makati Councilor JunJun Binay, who has been providing regular updates on the situation, said the injury count had climbed to at least 126 -- 98 of these needing hospitalization and 28 other victims given first aid at the blast site for minor injuries.

Of the injured, Binay said, three are listed in critical condition and in the Intensive Care Unit of the Makati Medical Center. At least one other victim is undergoing surgery as of this posting.

Binay also said at least one of the dead was a Korean.

A partial list of the injured at the Makati Medical Center (see list at end of article) showed another Korean and a Chinese national were among the injured.

Police investigators at the scene of the explosion identified four of the dead as Liza Marquez, Jose Allan de Jesus, Lester Peregrina and nursing student Janine Marcos. All died of shrapnel injuries.

At an earlier press briefing carried live by radio and television, Dr. Ernesto Santos of the Makati Medical Center said the four fatalities were “dead on arrival” and at least two of the wounded were “critical.”

Santos said the other casualties all suffered “blast injuries.”

Dr. Anthony Golez, spokesman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council and deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Defense, told INQUIRER.net from the Makati Medical Center that the four died due to "burns and massive internal bleeding."

"It doesn't look good," he said.

Razon said: "From our assessment this is not what was initially reported as LPG [liquefied petroleum gas].”

"This was a bomb. But beyond that we can't say anything else yet because we are still investigating. What I can say is it was not LPG that caused this."

Director Geary Barias, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, said they have yet to determine whether the explosion was caused by a grenade or an improvised explosive device and " are not discounting anything," including the possibility that the explosion was a terrorist attack.

Barias also said there had been no intelligence reports prior to the blast, despite a terror alert issued earlier this month by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, which is composed of various security institutions like the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“We actually picked up several dead and wounded,” Binay said.

He said the explosion left an eight-meter (26-foot) wide crater on the ground floor and blew a hole through the roof on the second floor.

"From what I have seen it was a significant explosion and that most of the dead and injured were all employees," he said.

Witnesses said the blast occurred in a section of the mall with clusters of stores selling baby clothes and toys.

The explosion had panicked shoppers running out of the mall as smoke billowed out of the building.

Mall security and police immediately sealed off the area and shepherded people away as ambulances rushed in to evacuate casualties.

People leaving the mall told INQUIRER.net said they felt the whole shopping complex shake as from an earthquake as the “strong” explosion happened in the area between the Glorietta 1 and 2 buildings. They also said they saw windows shatter from the blast.

Witnesses said part of a ceiling collapsed while a concrete wall was blown out.

Two cars and two delivery vans were buried under wooden planks and concrete debris outside the mall.

"It was so powerful," clothing store clerk Jeric Balendes told AFP on the scene, as rescuers applied first aid on his cuts and bruises.

"The roof just collapsed on us. I could hear my three co-workers screaming. I got out through a small hole. I don't know if they got out."

Bomb debris carpeted a 200-square-meter (2,100-square-foot) area, he added.
"The ceilings are damaged and may collapse," Barias said.

As of this posting, police are conducing a post-blast investigation to determine what caused the explosion and although the whole area is yet to be inspected, Binay said all fatalities have been recovered.

Barias also inspected the nearby SM mall to ensure there will be no other explosions.

The United States and Australia both offered technical help in investigating the blast, and Australian experts were understood to be helping Filipino police on the scene.

Binay said roads to hospitals in the city have been secured as rescue teams continued to scour the area where the explosion occurred, which the councilor described as “severely damaged,” for more possible victims.

“We’ll keep the area evacuated until we know more,” Reyes said.

He also assured the victims and their relatives of assistance from Ayala Corp.

“We will certainly makes sure [that] anyone [who] needs attention will be able to get it,” Reyes said.

Police did not immediately name likely suspects for the attack, but Islamic extremists were blamed for a bomb attack on a bus near the site of Friday’s explosion. That attack killed four people in February 2005.

Militants also firebombed a ferry on Manila Bay the previous year, killing more than 100 people in the country's worst terrorist attack.

Arroyo's National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales has previously said the government was not ruling out future attacks on "soft" targets such as shopping malls.

I wonder how Elliott would react?

It is amazing that a few weeks ago this mall was treated to an incredible Elliott performance and then now it is in shambles. It really puts a perspective on things.

I bet Elliott would want us to donate to the victims families. I assume they will set up some sort of victim fund. If anyone hears anything about it, let us know.

We'll do that, mike. Thanks for the concern everyone!

Maybe someone from the Yaminoy group, maybe Loth, should message Elliott's myspace to let him know about this - it's not getting broad coverage on the news in the US

Check out this Youtube video of Elliott leaving Glorietta:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSY5SMt-JiY

That very same place (as in that exact spot), I think, was shown in the news as one of the places that was badly affected by the blast. That place is now gone.

Thoughts and prayers are with you all. This is very upsetting news.

So sorry to hear about this. Regretfully, I will pass the news along.

Thoughts and prayers to all our Philippino friends.

That is so scary!

Thoughts and prayers are definitely with all our Phillippino friends...

My office is located a couple of blocks away from Glorietta and I pass by that very area of the mall almost every night to get to my ride home. This is all very sad and tragic.

Thank you for the concern and prayers, everyone.

Such sad news. I am very relieved to know that none of our friends from here were injured or lost. Many prayers and thoughts for all the families who suffered the loss of a loved one.

So thankful none of our E family was injured. Praying for all of those who have been affected. :grouphug: This hit too close to home, even if it did happen on another conitinent. :(

Very sad news.

Please keep us updated and let us know if we can do anything.

HOW TERRIBLE! I WILL BE PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU.

OH I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR THIS.....PLEASE STAY SAFE....

I'm amazed this isn't being talked about much in the states. This is very tragic and I pray that terrorism isn't involved.

I can't understand going after innocents civilians. There is no purpose in doing that at all.

That's horrible. My hearts goes out to all who were/are affected.

Update:

Makati blast a 'terror act,' military says
Leftists, rightists, extremists eyed

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/...rticle_id=95675

I was so afraid of that - so sorry to hear that it was intentional. Like Elliott says - Love must Find a Way...

I am sorry and very sad about what has happened. Please take care of each other.

May

It's really sad. The death toll is now at 11. Here's the most recent article:

Accident angle probed
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadl...rticle_id=95898

The management of Glorietta Mall has pledged to cover the expenses of the victims' families. But I'm not sure to what extent.

I got to chat with some office colleagues earlier today and just found out that a number of them were in fact at Glorietta on Friday, most of them out for lunch. It's a good thing that we have a new company president, who is very, very strict with time, so these people didn't linger at the mall for too long after lunch time (as they were wont to do in the past). Otherwise, some of them might have been part of the casualties.

One officemate who was still at a shop near the blast site when it happened said they initially thought there was an earthquake; that when the explosion came and glass shards started flying, the mall crowd scampered for the exits; that when they got out of the mall, for fear, they never stopped running until they had reached the office, which was a couple of blocks away.

I was told that the glass ceiling above the Activity Center (where E's concert was held) came crashing down. :(

So sorry to hear about this. I'll keep everyone there in my thoughts and prayers.

Thanks yamignonette and merrr for posting the updates about the explosion. Sorry to hear that the death toll has risen.

Just a clarification: only one wing of the mall was greatly affected by the blast (Glorietta 2).

The first photo shows the entrance where some of the Yaminoys waited.

More articles about the blast. Latest update says the blast might have been caused by a faulty sewage system.

Hope the investigators can reach a conclusion.