BACOLOD City – Two of the three suspects in the fire that hit Java Pension House on Gonzaga Street on Nov. 26 were arrested yesterday in Barangay Amayco, Murcia, Negros Occidental.
The 27-year-old Venancio Valeriano was a resident of Barangay Amayco while 22-year-old Rodolfo Inson Jr. was a resident of this city.
During their investigation, said Police Major Jovil Sedel, commander of Bacolod City’s Police Station 1, one name cropped up – “Lumot.” Probers asked around and they were told the name referred to Valeriano.
“So we coordinated with Major Robert Dejucos, officer-in-charge of the Murcia police station,” said Sedel.
The other arrested suspect, Inson, told the police there were three of them. He identified their third companion as a certain Christian, allegedly the one who started the fire by burning a motorcycle helmet.
Inson claimed they did not intend to set the pension house on fire; they only wanted to steal the helmet left in a motorcycle parked in the pension house.
“Samtang ara ko sa gwa sang pension house, ang duha ko kaupod nagsindi sang lock sa motor kon sa diin nabutang ang helmet para makakas ang helmet. Tapos naglakat kami. Wala kami kabalo nagkarab ang motor kag nabatian na lang namun nga may naglupok,” said Inson.
The fire resulted to the death of six persons.
Inson apologized to the families of the victims.
The casualties were Christopher Java, 33, owner of the pension house; his 12-year-old son Christian Miguel; his 73-year-old mother, Magdalena; Ronalyn Dacallo, Miguel’s nanny; the front desk officer Arnold Felomino; and Arnel Bajenting, a resident of Cebu City./PN
