Six BFP members face ‘Manor’ raps

At least six members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) are expected to be charged administratively for the Manor Hotel fire that killed 73 people last Saturday.

Senior Superintendent Danilo Cabrera, BFP spokesman and assistant chief for directorial staff for operations, said the bureau was winding down an internal investigation and that a report would be issued any day now.

"We are looking at three layers of hierarchy here — the regional, district and city fire offices. So perhaps two officials from each office could be held liable, giving us at least six persons," Cabrera said.

BFP and city officials have been under fire for having allowed the hotel to continue operating despite several fire safety code violations.

However, in assessing the culpability of fire officials, Cabrera ruled out dismissal from duty.

A pre-dawn blaze hit the six-story Manor Hotel in Kamias on Aug. 18 killing 73 out of over 200 guests who were trapped by locked fire escapes and iron bars on windows and balconies.

Fire investigators said the building lacked a sprinkler system, emergency lighting as well as fire alarms. They also said the generator of the building had no automatic switch and that the fire extinguishers were not in accordance with standards prescribed by law.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. earlier fired eight City Hall employees believed responsible for issuing permits to Manor Hotel.

Manor Hotel owner William Genato has been charged by the BFP with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide.

The Central Police District is set to file criminal charges against Genato today.

He could face a maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment plus fines and compensation from the charge of recklessness.

Meanwhile, victims of the March 1996 Ozone fire tragedy sought stiffer penalties for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, saying under present laws, those held responsible may not spend a single day in person.

On March 19, 1996, at least 160 people, mostly teenagers, were killed in the Ozone Disco fire, considered as the country’s worst fire.

Justice for Ozone Victims head Joseph Stephen Santos said the maximum penalty of four years is not commensurate to the degree of damage and suffering caused by the disco and hotel fires.

"It’s not right. Whether a fire killed two, three or a hundred, it would not matter because owners will be penalized for only as much as four years," Santos during the weekly Holiday Inn press forum yesterday.

Cabrera, who was also a forum guest, agreed that four years in jail for the owners "is quite unfair to the victims."

The convicted owners of Ozone disco are currently on probation although they are still facing graft charges along with Quezon City officials.

Cabrera said the BFP, the city’s engineering and public safety offices have started random inspections of 84 hotels, motels, apartelles and hospitals in Quezon city to determine compliance with fire safety rules.

He said they would later inspect schools, movie theaters and malls.

In a related development, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina said the 10-story building that housed the department building in Kamuning, Quezon City is safe for occupancy.

Lina was reacting to reports that the Francisco Gold Condominium 11 on Mapagmahal St. was among the buildings declared a firetrap by inspectors.

He stressed that minor deficiencies like obstructions have been corrected. – With Perseus Echeminada, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Matthew Estabillo