A 46-year-old man who was apprehended by the security guard of the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) after trying to set fire to the school's fence along P. Lopez Street, Barangay Kalubihan in Cebu City, on Thursday, April 4, 2024, has already been charged with attempted arson.
Alejandro Bernardo Langi, a resident of Barangay Lutopan, Toledo City, is now being held at the Cebu City Police Office's temporary custodial facility.
Langi said that his purpose was just to light a candle in the Carmelite church, and that he had no intention of burning the school.
He explained that he would light candles at the church whenever he traveled to Carbon, but he was not aware that the candle lighting area had already been relocated.
According to him, if he wants to set the school on fire, he will not bring any papers with his real name on them to avoid being recognized.
"Naa sad koy sala gyud kay ang butangan diay sa ilang panagkotan didto ra gyud sa pikas, pero mao man sad gud toy karaan sauna gud, kay nagdaku ta sa probinsya murag binukidnon na atung style sa pag sunod sa ilaha, kay kung tuyo pato nako dili gyud ko magdalag dokumento ug tinuod nga pangalan nga akung dalhon sa akung pagka tawo nga mag lakaw-lakaw ko sa kadalanan," Langi said.
(I was at fault because I did not realize it had been moved to a new place, so I lighted candles where I used to do it. I'm from the province and my style is like a mountain people. If I had intended to do it, I wouldn’t have brought papers with my true identity when I was out on the streets).
He apologized to the Carmelite nuns, who are in charge of the USJR church and were worried about his actions.
He stated that he had previously worked at a church in Talisay City and pledged not to do it again.
"Sa tanang mga Carmelite Sisters tungod kay ako taga Lutopan ra tawon mi labi na ni Fr. Mike Hisoler, ni Fr. Valentino Gemino nga naa nadestino sa Cathedral, mga Carmelite Priest mangayo tawon ko’g tabang mangayo tawon ko’g pasaylo dili na gyud naku usbon," Langi said.
(To all the Carmelite Sisters, because I am from Lutopan, especially Fr. Mike Hisoler, Fr. Valentino Gemino, who is assigned to the Cathedral, Carmelite priests, please help me, forgive me, I will never do it again). (AYB, TPT)