18 years after tragedy: 9 convicted over Ozone disco blaze

MANILA, Philippines - Eighteen years after the inferno at the Ozone Disco Club in Quezon City killed 162 mostly students and new graduates, a former Quezon City engineer and building official, six of his subordinates and two businessmen were sent to prison for six to 10 years for failing to detect structural deficiencies and electrical as well as fire safety issues that caused the blaze.

They were convicted of violating Republic Act 3019, the anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Convicted were former city engineers Alfredo Macapugay and Renato Rivera Jr., building inspector Edgardo Reyes, Enforcement and Inspection Division chief Francisco Itliong, Processing Division chief Feliciano Sagana, engineer Petronillo de Llamas, building inspector Rolando Mamaid, and Hermilo Ocampo and Ramon Ng, board directors and stockholders of Westwood Entertainment Co. Inc., owners and managers of Ozone Disco.

Macapugay has retired, while Llamas is the building official of Quezon City. The others are either retired or could no longer be located.

Four other private individuals – Racquel Ocampo, Rosita Ku, Sunny Ku and Alfredo Chua – were acquitted after the prosecution failed to present evidence against them.

In rendering the decision yesterday, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division said building permits, a certificate of occupancy and other clearances were issued to the Ozone Disco despite known problems.

“Dubbed as the worst fire in Philippine history, which claimed many young lives and several others, the ash and soot of what remained of the structure once known as the Ozone Dance Club led to questions and subsequent investigations of its structural integrity and fire safety measures,” read the ruling.

“There can never be a slapdash approval of a building permit and certificate of occupancy. To shrink from this duty will certainly run at risk all safety standards contemplated by the National Building Code.”

A principal issue discovered was that the club’s main door swung inwards, preventing patrons from getting out of the burning building.

Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta wrote the decision.

Ocampo and Ng were convicted of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple serious injuries on March 16, 2001.

They were meted a four-year prison term and fined more than P25 million each.

On Aug. 23, 2007, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Macapugay and 11 other former city officials of charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries.

They were accused of involvement in the granting of safety clearance and permits to the Ozone Disco Club without conducting actual inspections and despite several structural defects. – With Reinir Padua, Charmie Joy Pagulong