Manor Hotel owners face raps anew

The owners of the ill-fated Manor Hotel are in trouble with the law again. This time, spouses William and Rebecca Genato are facing charges for illegally constructing a warehouse in Payatas, Quezon City.

Quezon City building officials Jeffrey Peralta and Everee Halura filed yesterday with the Prosecutor’s Office a complaint against the couple for violating sections 301, 213 and 309 of the National Building Code.

The officials said they conducted a building inspection on the one-level warehouse with a garage located on Farmer’s Street, Barangay Payatas, last Sept.14. They said the Wilvic Batching Plant was put up without a building permit.

Neither did the Genatos secure an occupancy certificate from City Hall. Assistant City Administrator Robert Nacianceno sent the Genatos a notice of violation five days after the inspection was conducted, ordering them to present to officials the building and occupancy permits required within three days after receipt of the notice.

The couple, however, did not comply with the order.

The Genatos are also facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple serious physical injuries for the death of scores of people and the injury of many others when the Manor Hotel burned down in August last year. Most of the victims were delegates to a religious conference being held at the Araneta Coliseum. – Romel Bagares