PLM, Fires, & Pacman

PLM on Fire 

Few minutes ago, I received an e-mail from my boss, who takes great satisfaction listening to news on his AM Receiver, that the PLM (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila) was on fire.  My initial reaction was, ” kakadaan lang namin banda dun kanina ah.. “Doubtful if it was really true, I replied to him and asked him about it.  He replied after a few minutes with these words ” Oo..part lang, dun sa records section.  200K worth of property damage. “

The records section of a city university on fire; I cannot help thinking if it was purposely set on fire to be able to hide something.  Well, I hope not.  Wow!  It’s really amazing how government buildings seem to be the favorite target of fire.  Let’s recall some past incidents:

February 25, 2004

Faulty electrical wiring caused the fire that razed an old building at the PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame. The blaze also partially gutted the supply storage of the Logistics Support Service, causing explosions that shattered glass windows in nearby buildings. PNP were on red alert at that time as the country observed the anniversary of EDSA I.

 

October 3, 2006

The fourth floor of the National Statistics Office building in Sta. Mesa, Manila caught fire. The floor housed the NCR Statistical Operation Division of NSO.

 

January 15, 2007

Fire struck the Supreme Court’s new building along Padre Faura, Manila. The fire was confined to the new session hall at the building’s second floor, where the Court holds its oral arguments. Chief Justice Reynato Puno was holding a meeting in a nearby room when the fire broke out.

 

March 11, 2007

Fire razed the old COMELEC building in Intramuros, Manila. Several documents pertaining to election protests and personnel files were among those destroyed in the fire. After a month, investigators concluded that the incident was accidental, stemming from loose electrical wiring. The fire occurred two months before the May 14, 2007 elections.

 

July 26, 2007

Fire broke out at the main building of the Court of Appeals in Ermita, Manila. The incident came a day before military officials were ordered to produce Jonas Burgos before the appellate court’s eighth division.

With the exclusion of the January 15, 2007 incident, the rest are highly suspicious occurrences especially the NSO, the Court of Appeals, and the COMELEC.  Don’t be surprised if results of the investigation in the PLM incident will be another ” faulty-wiring case. “  Oh come on!?! 

Let’s buy the idea of ” faulty-wiring .”  Oh well, isn’t it the job of Manila City Hall and Manila Fire Department to make sure that government buildings are secured from fire knowing that public documents are there?

source: http://ricojr.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/fire-incidents-in-government-buildings/

Pacman

I hope Pacman wins by TKO against David Diaz in tomorrow’s bout.  If Pacquiao wins this 135-lb fight, he will be the first Asian boxer to win 4 titles in 4 different divisions.  Pacquiao started his career as a 107-lb boxer.  He has won world titles in the 112 lbs, 122 lbs, and 130 lbs divisions respectively.

Photo by:

Jae C. Hong / Associated Press