Fisher's group doubts fire in Bacoor coastal communities was mere accident

MANILA, Philippines — A fisher's group on Monday cast doubts that a fire that tore through a coastal community in Bacoor, Cavite and reduced to it rubble was just a usual accident.

The city government of Bacoor had reported that fire began at 10 p.m. of November 1 in Barangay Alima which eventually reached fourth alarm and spread through Barangay Sineguelasan to displace some 398 families. 

Fire was only declared out hours later at nearly 1:30 a.m. of November 2, with the 1,641 individuals currently taking shelter in four evacuation sites.

But the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas said it is no longer buying the narrative, as fire incidents are "the easiest, most acceptable and effective way to demolish an entire community" for infrastructure projects.

The regional chapter of the group said among those who lost their homes were fisherfolk, who also had to weather out the effects of Typhoon Rolly — the strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year.  

Ronnel Arambulo, a spokesperson for Pamalakaya Southern Tagalog, noted at least three reported incidents from 2017 and 2018 of fires destroying communities sitting on areas being reclaimed by the local government. 

"Mayor Mercado-Revilla has an ambitious 420-hectare reclamation project that threatens to displace more than 700 fishing and urban poor families and destroy the thriving mangroves in the southern portion of Manila Bay," the group claimed. 

Pamalakaya's members have since vowed to hold to account those behind the supposed burning of coastal communities. But its national chairperson, Fernando Hicap, has also appealed to the Cavite province's governor, Jonvic Remulla, to prevent the families from leaving the communities.

"Hindi dapat i-relocate ang mga nasunugan," Hicap said. "Taktika na ng lokal na pamahalaan ito para pabilisin ang pagpapalayas sa mga mangingisdang maaapektuhan ng reklamasyon."

Both Barangays of Alima and Sineguelasan are areas part of the 320-hectare reclamation project in Bacoor, which Sen. Cynthia Villar in June said could destroy protected areas and cause flooding in communities along Manila Bay. 

The lawmaker had asked the environment department to recall the project's environment compliance certificate as it "will be building on the buffer zone of this protected area and destroy the landscape in which the wetland now thrives."