CARAGA: BUTUAN CITY

Former Butuan City mayor, 2 others face charges over 2012 fire that killed 17

FORMER BUTUAN City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr., who lost his bid for a third term in the 2016 election, is facing graft charges arising from a 2012 fire incident at the Novo Jeans and Shirts Enterprises wherein 17 female workers died as they were sleeping in their quarters. The Office of the Ombudsman, in a statement released yesterday, said it found probably cause to charge Mr. Amante along with former licensing officer Paul Cabrera and acting city fire marshal Alric Gomez. Based on the Ombudsman’s investigation, Novo’s business permit was issued despite the lack of the required Fire Safety and Inspection Certificate (FSIC). The company was given a 30-day period to comply with the submission of all documentary requirements, but its business permit was not revoked despite failing to do so. The Ombudsman said the three public officials must be held individually liable for graft for the specific acts they committed: Mr. Amante for approving Novo’s business permit without the required FSIC and failure to revoke it subsequently; Mr. Cabrera for recommending the approval of the firm’s business permit to the mayor and failure to subsequently act on its revocation; and Mr. Gomez for failure to notify Mr. Amante of Novo’s noncompliance and to recommend the cancellation of its business permit. In the related administrative case, Messrs. Amante and Cabrera were found guilty of gross neglect of duty and have been perpetually barred from public office. —