Couple Virgilio Ladia, 68, and Clarita Ladia, 65, just arrived in the Philippines from the US one week ago to spend Christmas with their family.
But their lives were cut short when they were killed along with eight family members in a fire on Dec. 18 in Muntinlupa.
Tragedy struck the Ladia clan of three families one week before Christmas when 10 members died in a house fire on Larbaf Street in Bruger Subdivision, Putatan, Muntinlupa.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Muntinlupa, the fire killed 10 members of three families of the Ladia clan.
Besides Virgilio and Clarita, those who perished in the fire were Ana Ladia, 33, and her 16-year-old son Matthew Ladia.
Also killed in the fire were couple Mark Gil Ladia, 39, and Cherry Ladia, 39; Jerome Ladia, 19; Leandro Jose Ladia, 15; Emmanuel Ladia, 12; and five-month-old Cherry Angela Ladia.
Fire Supt. Eugene Briones, Muntinlupa City fire marshal, said that based on assessment, the fire damaged P500,000 worth of property.
He said most likely the 10 who perished were unable to get out of the house immediately as the exits to the house were already on fire.
The only survivor in the fire was 87-year-old Virginia Kawili, who was in the “sari-sari” (variety) store in front of the house, who was immediately evacuated by neighbors.
Based on the BFP Muntinlupa report, the fire originated from the kitchen but the cause is still under investigation.
The fire involved a one-storey house with two adjacent two-storey residential structures. Injured in the fire was Kenneth Perelio.
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon mourned the death of the family members and offered prayers. The Muntinlupa City government will give burial assistance to the family.