A TOTAL of 31 persons may face criminal or administrative charges over the December 2017 fire at the New City Commercial Center (NCCC) Davao City which resulted in the killing of 38 persons, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said.
Año said they submitted before the Department of Justice (DOJ) the report and recommendation of the inter-agency task force which was formed to investigate and identify those accountable for the incident.
“We at DILG are currently waiting for the approval of the endorsements stated in the report and will immediately adhere to any recommended actions following the release of DOJ’s final resolution,” he said.
“Rest assured that those responsible for this tragedy will be made accountable," he added.
Año said those who will be facing charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and physical injuries are NCCC officers Helen Lim, Lafayette Lim, Ivy Michelle Lim, Sharlene Faye Lim, Ivan Spencer Lim, Julie Ann Lim and Ramon del Castillo; Survey Sampling International Philippines employees Jose Antonio San Gabriel, Riza Lyn Ocampo, Rey Roble, David Ian Weatherseed and Christopher Fanning and Arturo Arrojado, Carmelie Arrojado, Danna Patricia Arrojado, Maria Lilibeth Olarte, Carmen Paluga and Wilson Velasquez of AC Rockport Construction and Development Corp.
Meanwhile, Sansulana Pinagayo, Darlyn Nazareno and Nicasio Mamites of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA); former city hall building official Joaquin Cui Jr.; Superintendent Carlo Duenas, Senior Inspector Jeanny Calvario, Inspector Renero Jimenez, Senior Fire Officer 4 Dioscoro Baja Jr., Senior Fire Officer 2 Joel Quismundo, Senior Fire Officer 1 Roger Dumag, and Senior Fire Officer Leo Lauzon of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) were all recommended to be charged with charges for alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Calvario, Baja, Quismundo, Dumag, Lauzon, Superintendent Honee Fritz Alagano, Chief Inspector Edgar Tanawan and Arvin Tero of PEZA were also found to have violated the Comprehensive Fire Code of the Philippines.
Año said there will also be other who will facing charges for grave misconduct and falsification of public documents after it was found that the mall were able to continue its operations without proper documentation.
In December 23, a fire broke out due to a high-temperature electrical discharge on the third floor, engulfing the NCCC Mall in flames, killing 37 SSI Philippines, Inc. employees and one NCCC Mall Corp. employee.
Año said prior to the incident, several renovations of the mall’s floors were made, rendering the sprinkler systems on the third and fourth floors non-functional and the fire escapes inaccessible.
“Thirty-eight lives were lost because of the apparent recklessness and negligence of several people, a tragedy which could have been avoided had the fire safety requirements of the Fire Code were followed and if the permit requirements were properly observed,” he said. (SunStar Philippines)