Zambo mayor takes full responsibility for deadly fire

Volunteers help fight the Oct. 31 fire that killed 15 people in Zamboanga City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Mayor Ma. Isabelle Salazar rejected a call for her to remove or suspend officials involved in the operation of the city’s markets in the wake of the Oct. 31 fire in the Magay market that killed 15 people.

Jose Manuel Mamauag, former human rights commissioner, said Salazar should remove or suspend acting city administrator Elmer Apolinario and Jose Genaro Yap Aizon of the city affairs office.

These officials, said Mamauag, “must be placed under preventive suspension.”

Salazar, however, said she is taking full responsibility for the deadly fire and is not removing or suspending any of the officials prior to results of an investigation.

“I need the facts,” said the mayor.

“If there are people who died, do we just suspend him (Apolinario) and will this resolve the issue?” Salazar said.

She said as “local chief executive, I will accept accountability” but “we have to look at the accountability of those people (15 victims). Why were they there?” she said.

Apolinario said he was also taking full responsibility for the deaths of the 15 victims. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao