Philstar.com -- Angry residents beat up firefighters in Caloocan

[badkuk]

METRO MANILA NEWS

Angry residents beat up firefighters in Caloocan

By Jerry Botial And Pete Laude
The Philippine Star 11/21/2003


Four firefighters, including two Fil-Chinese volunteers, were injured when they were ganged upon by a mob of residents even as firefighting equipment were allegedly robbed by unidentified persons in a P10-million fire that razed a residential area Wednesday night in Caloocan City.

At least 60 houses were destroyed when the fire of still unknown origin broke out at a residential area at the corner of Gen. Tirona and J. de Jesus streets in Bagong Barrio at around 9:55 p.m.

Firefighters had to contend not only with the raging inferno but with furious residents who turned on them for allegedly being selective in performing their duties.

Caloocan City Fire Marshal Chief Inspector Agapito Nacario said the assault and theft delayed the firefighting operations and contributed to the destruction of more homes which lasted some 10 hours before it was declared fire-out.

Nacario identified the injured as SFO1 Roberto Mendoza and FO2 Mario Bagaman of the local fire station and sustained bruises and contusions as shown by a medical report signed by Ospital ng Caloocan medico-legal officer Dr. Ma. Luisa Crisostomo. The two other fire volunteers have not been identified allegedly "due to the commotion that followed" the assault. The firefighters claimed they lost two sets of hoses and nozzles worth over P10,000 each.

Nacario, in a memo to city police chief Senior Superintendent Benjardi Mantele, has sought police assistance in identifying and apprehending the unruly mob. The victims said they can identify the culprits if they see them again.

SFO3 Randy Resurreccion, chief of the Arson and Intelligence and Investigation Unit, Caloocan BFP, said the fire broke out at around 9:55 p.m. Shortly thereafter, the firefighters of Engine 47, including Mendoza and Bagaman were attacked, beaten up and the fire hoses and nozzles taken away by unidentified persons all under the influence of liquor. The government properties remain missing after they took it away. This incident, they claimed, stopped the operation for sometime resulting in the further escalation of the fire. While the fire was contained at around 2:15 a.m. yesterday, the blaze was declared fire-out only at 7:25 yesterday morning.

Sources said the irate mob turned on the hapless firemen because they were allegedly training their hoses on the nearby garments and lingerie factory instead of their already threatened or already burning houses. Resurreccion denied the allegations saying the factory was far from the burning area.

Nacario said appropriate charges are being readied against the perpetrators.

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Damn, this is just wrong...liit liit na ng sweldo, itataya mo pa buhay mo, tapos bugbog pa aabutin mo.


They claim na they were training their hoses on the garments factories...hello?!? garments + fire = bigger fire?!?


Fathers, don't teach your sons to be firefighters

[eyescube]

IMO> we just don't know who's telling the truth, do we? imagine firefighters being ganged , assaulted by a mob? definitely theres a reason behind to that incident. I'm not bias but yun din kung minsan ang nakikita ko sa mga firefighters sa Pinas they protect and save the properties of the rich first and let the helpless poor houses burned down rather than fighting & containing the fire in opposite direction.

Statement nila :
"Resurreccion denied the allegations saying the factory was far from the burning area"
Malayo naman pala eh, baka binubugahan na kaagad ng tubig,to keep the building wet. Syempre the Mob will be enraged... Who knows di ba?
Definitely the MOB dapat lang silang managot, nanakawin ba naman ang nozzle. Thats "WRONG" totally uncool, i-Firing Squad ng 2000 psi na tubig.

[badkuk]

in fairness...ung ibang bumbero rin dito aren't exactly model citizens...pero di ko lang makuha logic kung bakit binugbog...e kung nabugbog nga un, cnong papatay ng sunog? ninakaw ka ung hose...nakow!

[ch0k0y]

Sometime in 1992 or 1993, me nasunug na bhay malapit sa bahay na kumpare ko. 50K ang hinihingi ng mga bombero para lang unahing protectahan bahay niya. Di pumayag kompare ko..............hanggang sa natawaran niya ng 10K. Alm ko to kasi ako and unang tinawagan niya para maka-produce ng 10K. Simula nun pag me sunug nandoon na ang impression ko na talagang ang serbisyo ng gobyerno ay para lang sa mayayaman.

peace.

[Irog]

Three years ago nasunog partially 'yung katabing townhouse ng brother ko, although may firewall in between units, pinasok ng mga bombero yung unit ng brother ko para "abangan" daw 'yung apoy and at that time yung yaya lang at yung bata ang tao sa bahay kaya wala sila nailabas na gamit. Well, ang inabangan nila ay 'yung mga gamit ng brother ko at ang daming nanakaw sa kanila. Tsk...tsk...tsk... :mad:

[CZintrclr]

Comment ko lang. Not because I'm a fil-chi. pero ang alam ko ganyan talaga ang gawain ng DILG firefighters, Presyo muna bago bomba. Pero sa mga volunteer firefighters kahit mahirap o mayaman ka parepareho lang at walang bayad muna. These people risk their lives for others, they don't get paid for it unlike the DILG-BFP guys, they do this bec. this is their JOB and get paid and yet kailangan pa ng kotong.

Isang pinsan namin ni blackmagic who was only in his early 20's died a few yrs ago fighting fire when one of the walls collapsed on them. He is a volunteer.