DAVAO CITY - At least 60 houses and seven classrooms of a public school in Barangay Leon Garcia here were razed by a fire early Thursday morning.
Davao City Fire District Intelligence and Investigation Section chief Senior Fire Officer 3 Ramil Gillado told The Manila Bulletin in a text message that the fire started around 3:20 a.m. on Thursday in Sto. Niño, Gotamco. The fire destroyed seven classrooms of Leon Garcia Sr. Elementary School.
Gillado said the fire originated from the rented room of Roberto Mananlong owned by Rose Manguidatu.
Based on the report of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), a witness reported that Mananlong had an unusual behavior Wednesday evening. Around 2 a.m. on Thursday, the witness heard some noise coming from the suspect’s room while attending to his child.
Upon verification, he saw the suspect starting a fire on the floor of his room using a gasoline and lighter.
The witness immediately evacuated his family as the fire flared up and the walls of the house were engulfed in flames.
The Sta. Ana Police Station arrested Mananlong.
The fire was declared out at around 5 a.m. Gillado said the damages caused by the fire was estimated at around P1 million. No serious injuries were reported.
Authorities are preparing to charge Mananlong with arson. The suspect is currently detained at the Sta. Ana Police Station.