THE Office of the Ombudsman has indicted Valenzuela City Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian for a fire that killed 74 workers in a factory of rubber slippers in May 2015.
On Tuesday, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales made public the filing of criminal charges before the Sandiganbayan.
Apart from Gatchalian, the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Office head Renchie May Padayao; Bureau of Fire and Protection offcials—city marshal Mel Jose Lagan, Sr. Insp. Edgrover Oculam, Fire Safety Inspectors Rolando Avendan and Ramon Maderazo, and owner of Kentex Manufacturing Corp. – Ong King Guan are also facing multiple counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries.
Despite blatant violation of the Fire Code, the Ombudsman found that business permits and fire safety inspection certificates were issued by city officials.
Based on the investigation, Kentex failed to install a wet standpipe system, unserviceable extinguishers, lack of automatic fire alarm and sprinkler system, and absence of fire exit drills for workers.
Affidavits of the survivors attested to the fact “that Kentex’s exit gates were locked or padlocked; there were no water sprinklers, fire extinguishers or fire alarms; and Kentex’s windows were enclosed with grills.”
The joint resolution stated that “in 2014, Kentex was inspected by BFP [Valenzuela] twice” and “on both occasions, its fire safety measures were declared deficient.”
Despite these deficiencies, city officials allowed Kentex to continue operations.
“The respondents’ acts or omissions, taken together, indicate a common understanding among them to turn a blind eye to Kentex’s delinquency and its foreseeable consequences.”
As far as Ong is concerned, “he cannot evade criminal liability for the loss of lives” as “the safety of all persons and all operations within the premises rested upon his shoulders.”
Earlier, Gatchalian said the Department of Interior and Local Government and BFP were the ones issuing circulars recognizing one-stop shops to speed up the processing of business permits.
Gatchalian said the BFP never reported back the negative findings on Kentex.