Residents of sitio Little Pasil in barangay Kamputhaw search for whatever is left of their belongings. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
“Okay ra na Ma oy, ang importante saved ta tanan (It’s okay ma, what’s important is that we’re all saved).”
Four-year-old Marvin Gerald Swan comforted his 27-year-old mother Mylene Swan after seeing their home destroyed by a fire that hit sitio Little Pasil in barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City at dawn last Tuesday.
Mylene Swan’s family is one of 78 families now staying at the Kamputhaw gym.
The Cebu City Council placed the fire site in sitio Little Pasil under calamity status to secure funding for the victims.
Data from City Hall’s Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) showed that the fire burned down 36 houses and damaged three others. It also left 78 families consisting of 298 persons homeless.
DSWS staffer Lucia Mahusay said their office already gave relief goods to the fire victims.
Birthday cake
At the Fuente police precinct, 30-year-old arson suspect Orlando Mendoza celebrated his birthday by asking his wife to buy a cake with lighted candles for him.
“He asked his wife to buy him a cake so he can blow the candles off it,” Chief Insp. Wildemar Tui, Fuente police chief, said.
He said he won’t allow him to light candles on his cake.
He said they only have one witness, Roque Dacal-dacal, willing to file charges against Mendoza, who’s accused of setting his room on fire which spread to neighboring houses.
Dacal-dacal, who sustained slight burns, punched Mendoza and accused him of being a drug user, an allegation Mendoza denied. /With Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac