Aguirre orders NBI to probe Davao mall fire

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the fire that gutted a Davao City mall over the weekend.

“The order was given for the NBI to determine the presence of any criminal liability which led to the fire and the attendant loss of lives. The NBI was also ordered to file the necessary cases against any parties determined by it to be responsible,” the Department of Justice said in a statement on Monday.

By punishing those responsible, the government can set an example to others “so that, hopefully, there will be no repetition of these tragedies,” Aguirre said.

“For now, I respectfully request everyone to continue praying for all those affected by this tragedy,” he added.

At least one person died. Thirty-six people, including employees of an American business process outsourcing firm, were still missing. They are also believed to have perished in the fire that swept through the four-storey NCCC Mall on Saturday, authorities said.

Some people were able to get on the roof, and then climb down to a billboard framework on the side of the building, where they were later rescued.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who was mayor of the city for two decades, went to the mall on Saturday night to comfort distraught relatives of the victims.

He also told the families that there was likely no survivors from the blaze.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. —KG/VDS, GMA News