By Antonio L. Colina IV
DAVAO CITY – At least eight personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 11 may be included in the list of personalities that Interagency Anti-Arson Task Force will hold responsible for the NCCC Mall Davao fire incident on Dec. 23, 2017.
In an interview on Thursday, Task Force deputy team leader and spokesperson Fire Supt. Jerry Candido did not disclose the identities of the fire officials, pending completion of the investigation but added some of them are still active while others retired.
He said they are still gathering documents and that more personalities may be included in the charges that will be filed, depending on their involvement in the issuance of permits to the NCCC Mall Davao and Survey Sampling International (SSI) despite failing to comply with fire safety standards.
Candido said possible charges may include falsification of public documents, R.A. 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Article 365 (Imprudence and negligence) of the Revised Penal Code, and administrative charges such as grave misconduct and dishonesty.
Earlier, five fire officials were relieved – BFP Davao fire marshal Honey Fritz Alagano, Senior Fire Officer 1 Leo Lauzon, the fire safety Inspector of SSI Office; Senior Fire Officer 2 Joel Quizmundo, the Fire Safety Inspector of NCCC Mall; Senior Fire Officer 1 Roger Dumag, Chief of the Fire Safety Section of Davao City; and, Inspector Renero Jimenez, the Station Commander of SIR Fire Station.
Candido said NCCC Mall Davao and SSI failed to comply with the fire safety requirements, which led to the death of 38 workers – 37 were call centers agents and one mall workers – after being trapped inside the four-story establishment.