DILG Sets Up One-Stop Center to Assist Fire Victims’ Kin

Taking the “whole of government approach” in addressing the needs of families of victims of the deadly fire that killed 72 workers in Valenzuela City, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has mobilized its bureaus and attached agencies to provide the leg work to establish a one-stop-assistance-center that will facilitate inter-agency government assistance to victims’ relatives.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas announced that the assistance center will be manned by representatives from the local government unit of Valenzuela City, congressional offices, non-government organizations, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Social Security System (SSS), Pag-Ibig Fund, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education *DepEd), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Offices (PCSO), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Inter-Agency Anti-Arson Task Force of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

Roxas said the one-stop-assistance-center will be operational within the week.

For the part of the PNP, a representative from the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) “Kentex” will be available to entertain inquiries regarding the ongoing investigation, including progress of the tedious process of identification of the remains recovered at the razed factory.

This developed as the PNP Crime Laboratory has already made initial identification of some personal belongings and personal effects recovered at the scene of the deadly fire in Valenzuela City last May 13 that killed 72 persons.

This was disclosed by Senior Superintendent Edgar Danao, Commander of Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) “Kentex” as he presided the fourth case conference held on Monday morning among representatives from the Bureau of Fire Protection, Valenzuela City Government, Crime Lboratory and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and other PNP units involved in the investigation.

Danao said to hasten the identification process, the PNP Crime Laboratory will also attempt to identify some of the recovered human remains thru forensic odontology by comparing the victims’ remains with available dental records.

Meanwhile, The Valenzuela City Government has also offered the services of Skull Photo Super Imposition to be utilized for the speedy identifications of the victims.

At present, Danao said, DNA specimens have been collected from living family members of the victims for possible matching with DNA extracted from the bodies.

All recovered human remains are temporarily kept in individual coffins inside niches at the public cemetery and properly labeled for organized recording.

Danao has taken to task the CIDG to take the sworn statements of the first responders to assist probers in establishing the events before, during and after the incident.

SITG “Kentex” has also secured a copy of the After Fire Operation Report dated May 15, 2015 submitted by the Fire District Marshal.

SITG “Kentex” will convene again for another case conference on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. (PNP-PIO)

Source: pnp.gov.ph