BFP: Frasco’s dumptruck catching fire was an ‘accident’

This is the damaged  Isuzu dump truck donated by Representative Vincent Franco Frasco, which the Bureau of Fire and Protection in its investigation claimed was burned due to an accident. | Representative Frasco’s FB page

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Nobody set fifth district Representative Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco’s dump truck on fire.

This was the findings of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in San Francisco town, Camotes Island on their investigation on the fire that damaged the congressman’s vehicle at dawn of January 17.

“The fire originated at the wirings of the alternator of the vehicle causing the damage. The fire spread upward and sideward causing the right side tire to explode and partially damaged the front passenger side of the vehicle,” said the report signed by Fire Officer 3 Ronnie Pasaol, the investigator of the case.

“Therefore, the investigators conclude that thr possible cause of the fire is electrical connection caused by loose connection and is considered accidental,” Pasaol reported.

Read more: Frasco ‘sponsored’ dump truck for Camotes ‘set on fire’ 

The fire investigators’ findings debunk earlier claims of Frasco’s camp that the vehicle was set on fire. 

Frasco, in his first statement after the incident, labeled his vehicle’s catching fire as political harrassment.

The vehicle, which Frasco says he bought with his own money, was parked outside the home of its driver, Fabian Machete, in Barangay Unidos, San Francisco, Camotes.

Despite claims from Frasco’s camp that a van was seen in the vicinity of Barangay Unidos prior to the incident, no eyewitness stepped up to support it, the report said.

 BFP San Francisco recommended the case to be closed “without prejudice of being open[ed] if new testimonies that might contradict the facts gathered.”/dbs