MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday urged the driving public to help identify persons who left a balikbayan box in the middle of Shaw Boulevard Underpass along EDSA (Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue) in Mandaluyong City, which caused fear among motorists and traffic gridlock at the major thoroughfare.
MMDA EDSA Special Traffic and Transport Zone head Edison “Bong” Nebrija urged those with dashcams who went through the underpass earlier in the day to bring a copy of their video to the Mandaluyong police.
“Makipatulungan na lang sa Mandaluyong police, ibigay yungcopy ng dashcam para matukoy kung sino yung gumagawa nito(They must work with the Mandaluyong police and give a copy of their dashcam video so we can identify the perpetrator),” Nebrija said in an ambush interview at the MMDA office in Makati City.
While admitting that identifying the culprit is difficult as there was no traffic camera at the underpass, Nebrija said they are currently looking into other options.
“Ang pinapa-trace natin, hanapin nila yung bago mag-underpass, at paakyat ng underpass (What we are trying to trace is to find out those who went through the underpass, before the underpass and those going up from the underpass). Both directions kasi nasa gitna nilagay(because it was placed in the middle), it could be coming from any direction. It could be north-bound or south-bound,” Nebrija said.
The incident resulted in a 10-kilometer traffic standstill after the MMDA closed one lane each from both northbound and southbound lanes as precaution against the suspected bomb threat.
“Nakakalungkot na kailangan mangyari ‘to. Maraming personnel resources—mga personnel na ginamit diyan, yung mga equipment (It saddening that this had to happen. A lot of personnel resources were used—personnel, equipment), the time—a lot of time wasted,” Nebrija said.
He said the MMDA ensured proper precautions were made following the incident since a real bomb could have caused massive damage, not only to infrastructure, but to the lives of civilians as well.
“Sa ibabaw nun madami pedestrians na dumadaan sa (Above that, there are many pedestrians going through) Shaw Boulevard. So, you could just imagine kung totoong bomba yan (if that was a real bomb), how much destruction—the tunnel itself could collapse. ‘Yung MRT, kahit sabihin mong walang dumaan kapag sumabog yan, the mere fact na masira mo ang MRT, ilang pasahero ang maaapektuhan niyan araw-araw habang kinukumpuni (The MRT, even if there were no trains going through that area when the bomb explodes, the mere fact that the MRT is damaged, there will be many commuters affected every day the line is under repair),” Nebrija said.
The incident was said to be the fifth time within the last seven days where obstructions were placed in EDSA resulting in traffic congestion.
“Unang-una, nung weekend, may nagtapon ng basura sa P. Tuazon tunnel. May tinamaan na sasakyan. Ang mga kumalat na papel dun, lotto. It still caused traffic dahil lilinisin (First, over the weekend, someone threw trash in P. Tuazon Tunnel. A vehicle was hit. The papers scattered around were lotto tickets. It caused traffic because we had to clean it),” Nebrija said.
The MMDA hopes to file a case of economic sabotage to whoever is found responsible for the incident.
“Pwede sana natin kasuhan ng economic sabotage eh. Kasi yung mga tao magtra-trabaho na na-delay, hindi nakapasok because of that obstruction — sa haba ng oras, ilang oras yun (Perhaps we could file a case of economic sabotage. Because those who work were delayed or did not make it to work because of that obstruction—it took a long time, it took several hours). And then the delay of the traffic itself, is a loss for the economy,” Nebrija said.
In a Facebook post at about 10:30 a.m., Nebrija said they found a large “balikbayan box” placed in the middle of the Shaw Boulevard Underpass in Edsa and subsequently called the attention of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar regarding the incident.
Following an investigation by an explosive ordnance disposal team from the Philippine National Police, Mandaluyong police chief, Col. Remigio Sendanto said the box only contained styrofoam and other rubbish.
All lanes were immediately opened after no threats were found.