|
THE
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
has ordered the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to
intensify fire-safety inspections in public schools and
government buildings as part of its nationwide fire
prevention and awareness campaign.
Interior
Secretary Ronaldo Puno wants fire safety inspectors to
check the fire safety of schools and government
buildings, including government hospitals, and warned
that city and town fire marshals and the chiefs of fire
safety inspection units will face sanctions in case fire
breaks out in a building because of their negligence.
Puno’s
directive was contained in a memorandum issued through
DILG Undersecretary for Public Safety Marius Corpus,
which was issued to the BFP chief, Director Jose Collado,
BFP regional directors, district, city and town fire
marshals, and the chief of the Interagency Anti-Arson
Task Force Composite Team.
“Such
omission will not be tolerated and may be a ground for
the relief of BFP officials concerned,” he said.
Puno
earlier ordered the inspection of all school buildings,
student dormitories and boarding houses all over the
country, particularly in Metro Manila, in time for the
opening of classes last June to ensure that these
establishments are complying with the fire-safety
standards under the Fire Code of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Corpus also directed the BFP to include in
their fire investigation report the existence or
nonexistence not only of arson, but also of criminal
negligence, in order to render justice and provide
redress for innocent fire victims.
It was
observed that in most fire incidents, the investigations
focused merely on the determination of whether the cause
of a fire was intentional or accidental, Corpus said.
“Even if
a fire has been determined not to be intentional, the
BFP should make a further inquiry to ascertain whether
or not the fire was caused by criminal negligence, and
identify the person[s] who are probably liable,” he
said.
Section
54 of Republic Act 6975, otherwise known as the DILG Act
of 1990, provides that the fire bureau shall have the
power to investigate all causes of fires, and if
necessary, file complaints with the city or provincial
prosecutor who has jurisdiction over the case. |
