Cebu City: Man nabbed for attacking, damaging fire truck

This is the damaged windshield of the fire truck attacked by at least 10 men as the fire fighters arrived with the fire truck at the fire that hit Duljo Fatima, Cebu City early this morning. | Contributed photo via Futch Anthony Inso

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A man, one of at least 10 angry men who attacked a firetruck arriving at the fire scene in Sitio Lower Galile, Brgy. Duljo Fatima in Cebu City today, January 5, was arrested and detained at the Mambaling Police Station.

This happened at past 3 a.m. today at the height of the fire that hit Sitio Lower Galile. The attack damaged the windshield of the firetruck of the Barangay Mambaling Disaster and Fire Brigade.

According to authorities, the man, who was arrested, was identified as Rafael Villaver, 42, a resident of Sitio Lower Galile.

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Luilyn Vergara, one of personnel from the Barangay Mambaling Disaster and Fire Brigade, told CDN Digital that the reason for the attack could have been because they were angry that there houses were not given priority by the firefighters.

“Basin galagot sila kay gusto nila unahon ang ilang balay seguro,” Vergara said.

(Perhaps, they were angry because they let their houses be the first ones to be handled by the firemen.) 

Vergara said that the men appeared to be drunk.

Firefighters prepare to battle the fire that hit Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City early this morning. | Paul Lauro

He said that when they arrived at the fire scene, the group of men carrying hard objects gathered at the front of the fire truck and then they started hitting the windshield.

After they did this, they then fled in different directions. 

However, the firefighters managed to catch Villaber, whom they then turned over to the Mambaling Police Station.

Meanwhile, Vergara explained why they had to prioritize other houses over the others in fighting fires.

Vergara said that based on their protocol, they would need to salvage first those houses that could still be saved to avoid further damage.

“Ang protocol baya namong mga responder nga dapat unahon ang wala pa gyud maapektuhi, para naa pa mi masalbar ba,” he added.

(The protocol of us responders is that we should first take care of those houses that were not yet affected so that we can have something we can save from the fire.)

As for the apprehended attacker, Villaber, he was detained at the Mambaling Police Station, where he would be facing charges of malicious mischief and damage to property.

The fire early this morning in Barangay Duljo Fatima led to the death of a 13-year-old boy and destroyed 20 houses.

According to the fire investigator in an initial report, the damage to property was estimated at P900,000.