Cebu blaze kills woman

Thursday, February 23, 2012

FIRE struck a household in the Holy Family Subdivision, Banilad, Cebu City, leaving a 50-year-old house helper dead after she was stranded in her room.

Before the day ended, the police arrested a newly-hired co-worker of the victim, after she admitted stealing some valuables from the family of retired Army Colonel Mariano Parcon Sr. She said she didn’t plan on starting the fire.

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The Bureau of Fire and Protection received the alarm at 2:06 a.m.

Helper Cornelia Tagalog, 50, apparently suffocated before she could wake up and escape from the flames. She occupied a room on the second floor, but because of the fire’s damage, her body was found on the ground floor.

CEBU. A policeman controls access to the house of retired Army Col. Mariano Parco, which burned in a suspected case of arson in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City. (Ruel Rosello)

City Fire Marshal Aderson Comar said the fire was under control within three minutes and completely put out in 45 minutes. It caused some P50,000 worth of structural damage, the fire department initially estimated.

The retired colonel’s son, Mariano Parcon Jr., said the house may have been deliberately set on fire.

One of the helpers, Aubrey Soria, 22, allegedly ran away after the blaze.

Fourteen hours after the fire, Soria was located by the police in a mountain barangay in Minglanilla, Cebu.

The Cebu City Police Office’s Homicide Section chief, Jul Muhammed Jamiri, told Sun.Star Cebu said that after a thorough investigation, they arrested Soria in the home of her mother’s relative.

“Pagkakita ni Soria namo nga gadulong nami, nisuway ni siya pagdagan, pero amo mang nagukod (She tried to run when she saw the police approaching, but we chased her),” said Jamiri.

He said Soria admitted stealing some of Parcon’s belongings.

She said she did not intend to burn down the house, but only to destroy her identification documents after taking some of Parcon’s belongings.

Jamiri added they will still have to investigate further and confirm what belongings were stolen.

“We are still not convinced by her explanation of how the house was burned, so we will investigate it some more,” said Jamiri.

The Homicide chief added that Soria’s family in Talisay City helped the police locate her.

A case of arson with robbery may be filed against Soria.

Parcon Jr. said they hired Soria three days ago, and she arrived with only a small bag.

One of the witnesses, Eduardo Omandac, said that two hours after the fire, he saw Soria bringing two huge bags with her.

After the fire, Parcon did not recall seeing Soria.

“Dili sad nako masulti nga nakawatan mi niya kay dili na man ko makahibaw unsay iyang gipangkuha kay nasunog man tanan (I can’t tell you what she may have stolen because the fire burned everything),” said Parcon Jr.

The Bureau of Fire Protection said the occupants of the burned house were seven family members and three helpers.

Under the Revised Penal Code, a person who sets fire to a building, knowing that it is occupied by one or more persons at that time, faces a penalty of at least 12 years in jail.

At first, fire investigators had to figure out whose body they found in the ruins, because two helpers were declared missing. They later confirmed it was Tagalog who died.

“This is now a joint operation with the Homicide Section. We will still have to investigate,” explained Comar in a phone interview with Sun.Star Cebu.

Parcon Jr. said they hired Soria through an agency. Based on the resumé she presented, Soria hailed from Talisay City. (Sun.Star Cebu)