One year later, Kentex fire survivors recall tragedy

“It’s been a year, but I can still hear them screaming for help,” is how Kentex fire survivor Myrna Pisaw, 31, yesterday recalled the tragic incident, saying that up to now she can still hear her co-workers calling for help in her dreams.

On May 13, 2015, 74 people perished in the fire that gutted down the Kentex factory of slippers.

Yesterday, on the first anniversary of the Kentex fire, Pisaw, relatives of the victims, and supporters gathered in front of the factory in Barangay Ugong to call for justice.

Pisaw, who worked under the chemical department of the footwear factory, said that the fire incident happened around 11 a.m. She remembers that while she was escaping, she looked back when she heard her co-employees shouting for help.

The scene she saw was that of her co-workers burning and in so much pain, she said.

“Gusto ko po silang tulungan pero natakot ako. Pero ngayon, hindi na ako matatakot para ipaglaban ang hustisya para sa kanila (I wanted to help them, but I was so scared. But now I will not let fear consume me. I will fight in order for them to attain justice),” she told the Manila Bulletin.

She reiterated that they want justice and not money, saying that money can never bring back the lives of the people who perished in the fire.

“Umaapela po kami sa gobyerno na i-prioritize ang kasong ito at huwag ibaon sa limot. Kailangan po namin ng hustisya at hindi pera (We’re appealing to the government to prioritize this case so that it will not fall into oblivion. We need justice, not money),” she said.

Their spirits will never rest as long as they don’t attain justice, she said.

Ammied Rada, 33, spokesperson of Justice for Kentex Victims, lost two siblings in the fire. She identified the president of the company as Beato Ang and the general manager Ong King Guan. There is still no court action to penalize the management of the company for the fire which claimed the biggest number of victims in a factory accident.

“Isang taon na po pero wala pa ring hustisya. Napakabagal ng korte. Napakasakit para sa aming mga namatayan ang ginagawa nilang pagmamabagal (It’s been a year, yet, there’s still no justice. The court is so slow. What they’re doing is so painful for us),” Rada said.

Rada claimed that the only assistance they received from the management of Kentex were two food packs, flowers, and 15,700.

Rada also appealed to presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte to help them in their fight, adding that they believe he can help them.

“Nagmamakaawa po kami kay Mr. Duterte na tulungan kaming makamit ang hustisya. Naniniwala kami na tutulungan niya kami (We are begging Mr. Duterte to help us attain justice. We believe that he’ll help us),” he said.

Last March 5, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Valenzuela Mayor Rexlon “Rex” Gatchalian and six others over the tragic Kentex fire. However, the Court of Appeals granted Gatchalian a temporary restraining order, stopping the dismissal order.