Pubdate: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 Source: Manila Times (Philippines) Copyright: 2002, The Manila Times Contact: http://www.manilatimes.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/921 Author: Eric Estrada, Correspondent SPECIAL INSPECTION TEAM FOR CALOOCAN Caloocan will establish an inter-agency inspection task force to look for illegally operating warehouses in the city. Chief Insp. Agapito Nacario, chief of the local fire department, yesterday told The Manila Times that the decision to create the special inspection team was reached when firemen stumbled on a hidden shabu laboratory inside a burning warehouse in Bgy. Lawang Bato, Valenzuela City. The discovery of the illicit lab led to a raid at a warehouse in Navotas where chemicals used in manufacturing shabu were stored. Nacario said the proposed task force would be composed of representatives from the mayor's office, elements from the local police and fire department, inspectors from the city's business permits, health, engineering, and building departments, and barangay officials. The team would be authorized to conduct spot inspections to determine if the storage facilities are complying with fire safety and building laws. The Caloocan fire chief said the team would only conduct inspections upon Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo's personal order to prevent indiscriminate inspections and claims of harassment. The safety inspections could be used to detect the presence of hidden shabu labs, stolen vehicles, storage of explosives and harmful substances, and manufacturing facilities for pirated video and audio discs, Nacario said. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth