Man charged for arson

CEBU, Philippines – A man who allegedly tried to set fire to his own home was charged with attempted arson before the Regional Trial Court.

Noel Ermac, 27, a resident of Upper Agsungot, barangay Agsungot, Cebu City, was accused by his own mother Estrella, 57, of attempting to burn their house.

Estrella said in her affidavit that on April 28, 2008 at about 4 p.m. Noel was drunk when he arrived home looking for his wife Ann Marie.

The day before Ann Marie asked permission to leave with their two children as she was afraid after Noel allegedly threatened to hurt them.

When Noel found out that his wife was gone, he asked for the keys to their multicab so he could find his wife.

Their maids Alicia Arcilla and Genevieve Zabate claimed that after the multicab’s engine failed to start Noel asked them to push it until the engine kicked in. 

When they failed to do so because the vehicle was too heavy Noel became furious and allegedly picked up a stone and threw it at them, hitting Arcilla’s ear.

Estrella also claimed that at the height of his rage, Noel allegedly took gasoline from the multi-cab and poured it into an empty Nature’s Spring bottle that he used to hit his mother and their maids, soaking them in gasoline.

Arcilla and Zabate also said that Noel spread the gasoline in the house and shouted: “Saka mo sa taas kay dauban tamo!” and looked for a match. At that moment, they called their neighbors for help.

Barangay Tanod Noel Limpag responded and apprehended the suspect. The suspect was later brought to the Talamban police station and then taken to the Cebu City Jail.

His bail was set at P30,000.

According to his mother, Noel usually took drugs and also made trouble whenever he was drunk. His family also revealed that he has been imprisoned several times. – Iris Christine Cornito and Angelica Odias (THE FREEMAN)