Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday ordered a criminal investigation into a shopping mall fire in Davao City that authorities said killed 37 employees of an American call center company. The NCCC Mall is operated by Lim Tian Siu trading company, whose owner is close to the Duterte family. The Davao City fire marshal, Senior Supt. Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu, described the shopping mall on Sunday as “an enclosed space with no ventilation,” though the authorities said they had yet to determine the cause of the blaze. Research Now SSI, the parent company of SSI Davao, confirmed the loss of its employees and pledged assistance to the families.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 25, 2017 23:15 UTC