The National Police have cited several reasons behind their controversial decision to terminate investigations into 15 companies previously charged for their alleged roles in the setting of peatland fires.

Criminal Investigation Department head Comr. Gen. Ari Dono Sukmanto claimed that many of the fires had been caused by fires lit by locals that had expanded to areas belonging to the companies

“The companies also did whatever they could to put out the fires,” Ari said at a hearing held by House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal and human rights, kompas.com reported.

He also argued that experts claimed that the articles under which the companies had been charged were no longer relevant.

The police have received 480 reports related to peatland fires since 2015. Most of them remain unresolved. Those who were brought to court, on the other hand, were mostly locals or low-level company officials.