Man to face arson charges for burning ancestral house

CEBU, Philippines – A 56-year-old man surrendered to the police after admitting setting his family’s house on fire past 2 a.m. yesterday in 2nd Street, San Antonio Village, barangay Apas, this city.

Juan Soñas alias Bebot, who once drove a public utility jeepney for a living plying the Apas-Lahug route, voluntarily surrendered past 4 a.m. yesterday after burning down the ancestral house owned by his late parents.

In an interview with reporters yesterday, Soñas admitted that he did set the house aflame out of frustration that his elder siblings who are now in Manila did not allegedly bother to buy him a ticket so he could join them there for the cremation of their mother who died in the US last month.

Further, he alleged that his siblings did not even bother to help him take back the license papers of his PUJ which was confiscated by the Land Transportation Office-7 last May 19. He said that he was “very depressed since his only means to generate income was taken away from him.”

SFO1 Nilo Daculan of the Cebu City Fire Department said that the fire was raised to first alarm. It left behind around P200,000 in damages.

The suspect, who is currently detained at the Mabolo Police Station, will be facing arson charges tomorrow, Monday after his sister, Rosenda, filed the case against him. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)