Man who set daughter on fire commits suicide

Overcome by guilt, the father who doused his 11-year- old daughter with thinner then set her on fire, took his own life just hours after his horrible deed. The lifeless body of Emmanuel Santos, 39, a caretaker who resides at the Manila South Cemetery in Makati City, was found inside a mausoleum in the cemetery, hanging by the neck with a nylon cord. His body was discovered 8 a.m. Saturday.

His co-workers rushed him to the Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila but was declared dead on arrival.

Santos’ suicide came just 11 hours after he nearly killed his daughter inside their makeshift home in the cemetery.

Earlier reports said that Santos, who was high on drugs, barged into their home at around 7 p.m. Friday while his daughter was asleep.

Then, in the presence of relatives, doused the girl with thinner and lit her on fire.

A cousin came to the aid of the girl and tried to put out the fire that had engulfed her.

But instead of breaking out of his mad assault on his own daughter, Santos even splashed more thinner on her.

The girl’s mother, Weng Valdez, arrived just in time to her daughter’s help and immediately rushed her to the Ospital ng Maynila.

The girl sustained second degree burns on her chest, arms and legs.

The Makati City government has pledged to shoulder all the medical expenses to help the girl recover from that horrific experience.