Fire hits Caloocan police station, destroys case files

MANILA, Philippines —  A fire razed the Caloocan City Police Station early Tuesday morning, reducing to ashes files of cases handled by a police unit whose members were relieved en masse for retraining in September.

 

Bureau of Fire Protection Superintendent Gary Alto, city fire marshal, said the fire reached first alarm at 4:30 a.m., and reached fourth by 5 a.m. 

 

It was declared under control at 5:30 a.m. and declared out by 6 a.m.

 

Police Senior Superintendent Jemar Modequillo, Caloocan city police chief, said records of cases, including suspected extrajudicial killings and deaths under investigation, are not completely lost as there are copies at the Northern Police District headquarters, which is also in the city.

 

 

Director Oscar Albayalde, National Capitol Region Police Office chief, ordered the relief of the entire Caloocan police force in September over allegations that police raided a private residence without a search warrant and stole valuables. The allegations, based on security camera footage, has led to cases being filed against officers involved.

 

READ: NCRPO relieves Caloocan City police force

 

The relief was also partly in response to public outrage over the killings of Kian Loyd delos Santos and Carl Angelo Arnaiz at the hands of police in separate incidents in August.

 

Police SOCO inspects guns which were burnt by the fire that razed Caloocan city police station @PhilippineStar pic.twitter.com/CXNnFaR3bx

— Marc Jayson Cayabyab (@mjaysoncayabyab) November 14, 2017