PERSONNEL of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Davao Region (BFP-Davao Region) involved in the tragic NCCC Mall of Davao fire incident last December 2017 is set for a pre-trial in 2020 and another one has a pending arrest.

In the summary of the case update as of December 12, 2019, released by the City Prosecutions Office, senior fire officer 2 Joel L. Quismundo is among the BFP personnel facing suit for violating Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code for falsification of documents. He is set for a pre-trial in March 2020.

Meanwhile, pending arrest awaits senior fire officer 1 Leo C. Lauzon for the same charges as Quismundo.

Graft and corruption cases were also filed against Quismondo and Lauzon as well as against senior inspector Jeanny S. Calvario, inspector Renero G. Jimenez, senior fire officer 4 Dioscoro M. Baja Jr., senior fire officer 1 Roger B. Dumag, superintendent Carlos T. Duenas, Sansulana Pinagayo, Darlyn Nazareno and Nicasio Mamites of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza). All their cases have also been forwarded to the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao for the filing of criminal cases.

Charges for violation of the Fire Code of the Philippines against Calvario, Baja, Quismundo, Dumag, and Lauzon are currently pending at the Municipal Trial Court in the Cities (MTCC) in Davao City.

Meanwhile, cases against the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) plan evaluator Alvin Tero was dismissed for “lack of jurisdiction”. Tero was initially charged for violation of the Fire Code of the Philippines and the Revised Penal Code for falsification of documents.

The documents were released yesterday, December 23, 2019, exactly two years after the NCCC Mall fire claimed the lives of 38 call center agents and mall employees.

On the sidelines of the commemoration mass on Monday, December 23, at the San Pedro Cathedral, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the summary of the development of the cases was also furnished to the families.