Alleged drug user scared of Duterte, burns house then climbs coconut tree

A 38-YEAR-OLD man allegedly burned his own house and climbed a coconut tree for fear that he would be arrested or get killed as President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office last June 30.

Nicanor Alviola Jr., single and jobless of Barangay Linut-od, Argao town, southern Cebu, refused to eat and felt uneasy starting last Friday after seeing President Duterte on television deliver a speech during his inauguration a day earlier, according to PO2 Cristino Canono of Argao Police Station as narrated by Alviola’s father, Nicanor Sr.

Duterte emphasized in his speech that the rampant sale of illegal drugs has to be stopped.

Nicanor Sr., 68, told PO2 Canono that on Saturday at around 4 p.m., Nicanor Jr., allegedly hooked on drugs, suddenly torched their own house made of light materials.

Luckily his father managed to run outside.

After torching the house, Nicanor Jr. climbed a coconut tree nearby and never came down until yesterday. A policeman and two barangay tanods were deployed to the area to watch the younger Nicanor.

Nicanor’s parents temporarily took shelter in their relatives’ house.

The fire caused an estimated P230,000 in damages to the Alviola’s properties, including a motorcycle.

PO2 Canono said that last month, Nicanor Jr. also climbed a coconut tree and came down only after four days.

Canono said Nicanor Jr. has a mental problem allegedly caused by illegal drug use. His parents could not afford to send him to a rehabilitation center as his father is only a farmer, while his mother is a homemaker, Canono added.