Unitop owners may be charged with negligence — BFP

Arson investigators are eyeing criminal charges against the owner of the department store in Ormoc City where dozens of shoppers perished in a fire on Christmas Day.

Officials of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said there was apparent negligence on the part of Unitop department store owners for failing to unlock the emergency exits when the fire broke out.

"The occupants will likely be charged with negligence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries for the incident," BFP spokesman Chief Inspector Renato Marcial said.

This developed as forensic experts identified 23 of the victims whose charred bodies were recovered from the fire scene.

Marcial said their initial investigation showed the owner, a certain Manalastas, had rented out the building to a certain Ricardo Brieto. He added Brieto might be included in the charges.

In his report to BFP officer-in-charge Chief Superintendent Jose Collado, Senior Superintendent Elmer Asumbrado, chief of BFP Eastern Visayas, said investigators will submit to him a comprehensive report on the incident as well as their recommendations.

"Arson investigators are set to interview survivors from the tragedy. These survivors and some witnesses are expected to give more information before, during and after the fire," Asumbrado said.

Initial reports said a boy accidentally lighted a firecracker and threw it on a pile of firecrackers being sold inside the department store, triggering a seven-hour fire that killed 25 people and injured several others.

Authorities have identified 23 of the fatalities as Eddieboy Obeña, nine years old; Jennifer Gumahin, 19; Mica Orayle, seven months old; Luzviminda Baguio, 16; Cecilia Dalaguit, 43; Primo Mellomeda, 17; Brandy Bantasan, 15; Felipe Obeña, 73; Luisa Inday, 36; Junrey Inday, three months old; Sheila Teves, 30; Dante Pagay, 30; Sheila Arbilon, 18; Josephine Arabia Navarro, 20; Ana Mae Sanchez, 18; Elvisa Gerolaga, 33; Severiana Cartagena, 43; Analiza Orayle, 30; Helen Constantino, 24; Panyong Langres, 60; Oscar Merino, 48; Catherine Mistula, 19; and Eleonor Capuyan, 31, who is five months pregnant.

Police said they have yet to identify the body of a female believed to be a Unitop employee wearing a uniform of the store.

Authorities said the incident highlighted the impropriety of selling firecrackers inside a crowded department store.

Ormoc City police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Cubillo said the store is not licensed to sell firecrackers, which are traditionally used to greet the New Year.

Marcial added the incident in Ormoc should serve as a lesson to everybody, not only to firecrackers manufacturers, retailers but to buyers as well.

"Manufacturers should ensure that their products are safe, while retailers must ensure that the firecrackers are stored in safe places and sell them in open spaces. Buyers must be careful and observe safety measures while buying firecrackers," Marcial added.

Aside from charges related to the death of the victims, the occupants are likely to be charged for violating the Building Code of the Philippines, he said.

Ormoc City Mayor Eric Codilla had ordered authorities to investigate the tragedy.

Codilla ordered a probe on reports that some of the customers were trapped while trying to escape through the back entrance, which also served as a fire exit, but which was padlocked.

Codilla vowed to charge those responsible for the tragedy.

Investigators noted the statements of the survivors claiming most of the victims were trapped due to the lack of adequate fire exits.

BFP chief for operations Chief Superintendent Enrique Linsangan said the provincial BFP will investigate whether the store had followed the rules and regulations required under the Building Code of the Philippines.

The BFP will also check the provisions for entrances and exits of the establishment, he said.

Linsangan said the investigation will also check out reports that the store, once used as a warehouse, lacked the required water sprinklers and fire extinguishers.

Linsangan also noted most of the casualties died in the vain effort to get water from the toilet to put out the blaze.

On the other hand, families of the victims have agreed to accept P50,000 partial payment from the owners of the store.

It was gathered that they are asking P200,000 for each fatality as an amicable settlement with the owners. — With Roberto Dejon