BFP builds arson case vs CDO fire suspect
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is building a case against a barber who surrendered and admitted to setting the fire that destroyed an estimated 90 houses and displaced 400 residents in a community below the hilltop complex of the Northern Mindanao Philippine National Police (PNP) regional headquarters in Sitio Sta. Cruz 2, Barangay Lapasan, last Thursday.
The suspect, identified as “Delmore,” earlier surrendered to Mayor Klarex Uy during the weekly Serbisyo ng Bayan in Barangay Carmen and admitted that he intended only to burn the house of his former live-in partner, but the fire spread to other houses.
The suspect was turned over to the police but was later released pending the formal filing of the case.
Arson investigators of the BFP said they are still building a case to be filed before the prosecutor’s office because the admission of the suspect was made outside the court.
The fire broke out at about 2:55 a.m. at the house of Carol Gamutan and spread rapidly in Sitio Sta. Cruz 2, below the hilltop complex of Camp Alagar, the regional headquarters of the PNP. It was put under control at about 6 a.m.
A series of explosions was heard as the fire swept through houses made of light materials in the area.
Responding firefighters were unable to enter the area due to illegally parked vehicles along the road leading to the residential area.
Firewalls prevented the fire from spreading further uphill to the complex where Camp Alagar is located.
Firefighters interconnected their hoses to battle the fire, which was put under control at about 6 a.m.
No one was injured in the fire. Initial investigation showed that witnesses saw a man throw an eco bag onto the terrace of a two-story house owned by Carol Gamutan.
Gamutan told BFP investigators that her former live-in partner, identified as Delmore, was seen near her house before the fire broke out.
She said she and her daughter slept at a neighbor’s house after her former live-in partner had been harassing her after she ended their relationship early this month.
“Some witnesses saw my former live in party near my house before the fire broke out” she said.
