73 of 74 Valenzuela fire victims identified — PNP

valenzuela city fire (photo: dennis datu / twitter)

MANILA – Only one of the 74 workers who died in the May 13 factory fire at Kentex Manufacturing Corporation in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City remained unidentified, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Tuesday.

Sr. Supt. Emmanuel L. Aranas, PNP Crime Laboratory deputy director, said the latest two victims to be identified were Jony A. Descallar and Mary A. Marcelino.

They were identified through the comparison of the DNA profiles generated from partially burned bone fragments that had been recovered at the scene sometime on June 19-20, 2015 and the DNA from the buccal swab samples of their relatives.

Earlier, the PNP said that three fire victims were physically identified through their personal belongings and 68 others through DNA tests.

Another victim was unidentified because no DNA samples could be extracted since his or her body was burned completely, leaving no specimen capable for DNA identification.

Aranas said the final search was conducted on June 11, 19, 20 and 22, 2015, which further yielded some other small pieces of bone remnants from different sites of the second floor area of the building, including a fragmented tibia bone recovered from the second floor, opposite where most of the burned bodies were recovered.

“We insisted na kahit dangerous yung area ay nag-search ulit kami right after maalis yung mga nakaharang na debris para ma-identify lahat ng victim. Samples from all the collected fragments during our search have undergone DNA examination where the latest two victims were identified,” Aranas explained.

The PNP official said that overall, there were 28 male and 45 female victims, plus the 74th unidentified victim whose gender could not be ascertained.

Aranas said the PNP Crime Laboratory has already coordinated with the Local Government Unit-City Social Welfare Development (LGU-CSWD) through the Chief of Police of the Valenzuela Police Station regarding the two newly- identified victims in order for them to facilitate the issuance of death certificates to the claimants.