ILOILO CITY – Three cars of suspended Tobias Fornier town, Antique province Mayor Ernesto “Toto” Tajanlangit III were set on fire before dawn on Sunday, September 22.
Tajanlangit posted a Facebook a live video of the incident that occurred at past 1 a.m. at the parking garage of his house.
The burned vehicles were a Hummer H2, a Ford Mustang, and a Suzuki Ertiga. The total value of these vehicles was not disclosed but a Hummer vehicle costs at least P2 million, a Mustang, P3.5 million, and Ertiga, P900,000 in the Philippines.
FIRE engulfs cars owned by suspended Mayor Ernesto ‘Toto’ Tajanlangit III of Tobias Fornier town, Antique province on Sunday, September 22. (Screengrab form Tajanlangit’s Facebook)
“Nasunog kag nadura man ang mga gamit nga sentimental pero ang importante safe kami tanan (These things of sentimental value may have been burned and lost, but it’s important we are safe),” said Tajanlangit in a statement. “Thank you, Lord, for protecting me and my family,” Tajanlangit added.
The Tobias Fornier Fire Station is investigating the incident.
The incident occurred days after Tajanlangit temporarily stepped down after the Office of the Ombudsman suspended him for grave abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming of a public official, and grave misconduct.
Tajanlangit was suspended for six months without pay for punching Vice Mayor Jose Maria “Jojo” Fornier on April 29 after he allegedly did not ask permission from his office to distribute food packs for El Niño victims. He allegedly waited for the Fornier in a police checkpoint.
Videos of the incident showed Tajanlangit blocking and going inside a truck containing the relief goods and punching Fornier.
Fornier is acting mayor of the town.