THE Manila Police District (MPD) was ordered to immediately conduct an inventory of all pieces of evidence and records kept in the MPD Crime Laboratory.
The order came after a fire hit the MPD Crime Lab on Thursday, November 4.
PNP Chief, Police General Guillermo Eleazar gave the order and stressed that it is necessary to make sure that no important document, evidence or record was damaged in the fire.
“The role of the Crime Laboratory in any police unit as evidence custodian is an integral part of law enforcement and criminal prosecution. The integrity of the evidence must always be protected,” he added.
The PNP Chief said the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is already trying to determine if the fire was intentional or an accident as part of the procedural investigation.
Initial information from the BFP said the blaze was due to a chemical toluene that sparked and ignited.
The fire started at 9:45 a.m. and was declared under control at 10:15 a.m. No one was hurt in the blaze.