Helper detained for arson
The house helper who was accused of setting fire to her employer’s house is now behind bars.
Regional Trial Court ( RTC) Executive Judge Silvestre Maamo signed the commitment order of Aubrey Soria, 22, a resident of Dumlog, Talisay City.
Yesterday, the Cebu City Police brought Soria to the Cebu City Jail for detention pending trial of the qualified arson.
Soria is accused of setting the house of retired colonel Mariano Parcon Sr. on fire. She was trying to dispose of her contract by burning the documents and this started the fire that killed her fellow house helper Cornelia Tagalog.
After the fire broke out, the accused tried to escape and went to Barangay Cuanos, Minglanilla where her relatives are.
However, the police arrested her during a hot pursuit operation. Soria was charged for a nonbailable offense.
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police placed Minda, the mother of the accused, in jail pending trial of the case. Minda was charged for obstruction of justice for misleading police officers about the whereabouts of her daughter and making gestures directing her daughter to run when the latter was spotted by the police.
The police added that Minda likewise misled them during the recovery of the pieces of evidence.
SPO1 Ruth Violango told The FREEMAN that Minda was placed behind bars at the Minglanilla Police Station after she failed to post P12,000 bail.
Parcon, 43, a resident of Holy Family Village in Barangay Banilad, said that while he was awakened by the smell of burning material on February 22, 2012 at 2: 00 a. m.
He said when he open the bedroom door he saw smoke outside, prompting him to pick up a fire extinguisher but the smoke got thicker.
“I alerted my family and other members of our household and immediately left the house for our safety using the fire exit leading to the roof of the adjoining structure of our house,” he said.
Parcon said that during the clearing operation, they recovered the body of Tagalog and Soria was missing.
However, he said, hours later he got information that Soria was seen hurriedly leaving the area bringing along a black traveling bag and dark gray shoulder bag.