(Eagle News) — Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the incident that saw a fire razing Manila Pavilion, resulting in the deaths of at least five people.
Aguirre made the directive through Department Order No. 160 dated March 19.
The justice secretary in particular asked the NBI to determine whether any “agency, office and instrumentality of the government,” and whether the owners, managers and employees of Manila Pavilion had “criminal, civil, administrative culpability.”
Aguirre ordered the NBI to file “appropriate charges..if any, as evidence may warrant.”
“Further, (NBI Director Dante) Gierran shall submit a report to the Office of the Secretary of Justice on its current activities related to the implementation of this order,” Aguirre said.
At least five people were killed and at least 20 were injured in the fire that struck on Sunday.
The Bureau of Fire Protection said it was investigating whether reports that the hotel’s fire sprinkler system did not work were true.
The hotel management has denied the allegations.