Talisay blaze razes 4 houses, damages 1

Arson blamed for incident; suspect in custody pending raps

A 23-YEAR-OLD construction worker was arrested yesterday for allegedly setting fire to his family’s house in Barangay Lawaan 2, Talisay City. The blaze also destroyed three other houses and damaged one.

Noel Velasco was believed to be mentally unstable when he committed the arson.

Chief Insp. Randy Mendaros, Talisay City Fire Marshal, told reporters that the fire started around 10 a.m. on the second floor of the house, which was owned by Noel’s mother Seferina.

Zenaida Villarin, Velasco’s older sister, said

Suspect Noel Velasco, a 23-year-old selfconfessed former addict, admits setting fire to his mother’s house because he was angry at his family for blaming him for their bad luck

she was next door when neighbors told her that their house was on fire.

“I didn’t believe it at first, but when I went out and saw the flames coming from my mother’s house, I immediately went in to help my siblings get out,” Villarin said in Cebuano.

Following the incident, Noel was immediately accosted by barangay officials.

In an interview, Noel admitted to the crime, saying he was angry with his family.

“They blamed me for our family’s bad luck that was why I burned our house,” Noel said.

Not the first time

Noel said he used matches to ignite the blanket on his bed to start the fire.

He admitted that he was a frequent drug user before he quit when President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office.

Noel was detained at the Talisay City Police Station pending the filing of charges against him.

Noel could face jail time for arson, Mendaros said.

Firefighters took 15 minutes to douse the fire, which was placed on first alarm.

Damage was placed around P30,000.

Seferina told reporters that her son also threatened to burn their house a month ago. He didn’t say why.

Edwin Etcubanes, Barangay Lawaan 2 councilor, said that last Sunday, he caught Noel outside their house carrying a knife.

He said Noel told him he was having trouble with some youths in their sitio.