Parents liable for two deaths

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 said that the parents of two children, who died in a fire in Toledo City, can be held liable for the deaths.

The children died when their shack burned down last Friday night in Sitio Sinsin, Barangay Sam-ang, Toledo City.

Vivian Claros of the DSWD-7 said, Jeovelyn Borgador, 23, and her husband Alexander Borgador, 27, could face criminal charges for negligence as they violated RA 7610 or Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

“Pwede gyud ni sila makihaan kung dunay concerned citizen nga mubarog ug dunay personal knowledge nga gipasagdan ang mga bata.” (They can be sued if there would be a concerned citizen who would come forward about personal knowledge on the neglect of the children), Claros said.

Claros added that evidence should be well established first in order to prove the negligence of the parents at the time of the incident.

The charred remains of Harvey, 5, and his brother, Alexander Jr., 2, were found beneath the charred remains of their house which was razed around 10 p.m.

Jeovelyn reportedly left the two boys, who were sleeping inside the house, to go to her husband, who was drinking coconut wine locally known as tuba several meters from their house.

Jeovelyn admitted that she was also apparently under the influence of liquor after she helped Ale-xander finish the drinks.

“Musulti ko’s tinuod nga nakainom ko kay dili man siya (Alexander) muoli og dili mahurot mao akong gitabangan,” (I will tell the truth that I also drank because he would not go home if we could not consume everything, so I helped him), she said.

Minutes later, she then heard people screaming and shouting at her that their house was burning, which prompted her to rush to her boys but it was too late for her to help them.

“Nahibulong gyud ko og nganong nagdinaganay ang mga tao padung sa amo…kay mao na diay to.” (I wondered why people were running towards our home…so that was it), she told The FREEMAN.

Since the house stood in a secluded area, it was difficult for the firemen to get to the scene.

Firemen had to connect at least six hoses to cover the 300 feet distance from the barangay road and reach the narrow and uphill area, which was about two and a half kilometers from the national highway.

But controlling the fire was no longer mainly for the purpose of putting it out since victims were already dead by the time the firemen arrived.

Alexander told The FREEMAN it was as if Harvey tried to jump out of the window.

“Diha ma’y nakakita nga nisuway siya og saka sa bintana nga sige og hilak pero init na man kaayo.” (Somebody saw him climb up the window while he was crying but it was already too hot), he said.

Jeovelyn reportedly locked the door of the house using a nail which she inserted to a hole before she left. The victims were already laid to rest at the public cemetery in Barangay Ibo yesterday. 

Blaming the cat

It was suspected that the fire was triggered by a kerosene lamp that fell.

Alexander suspected that it could be the cat’s fault why the kerosene lamp fell and burned the house.

The family had been using a kerosene lamp as they cannot afford to pay for an electric connection.

They also have a cat as a pet, however it was no longer seen after the fire.

SFO2 Constancio Alcover, fire investigator, said Jeovelyn made sure to put the lamp high enough so the children could not reach it.

“They have cat and allegedly there are rats inside the house which could have bumped it (lamp),” Alcover said.

Shattered dreams

Harvey wanted to become a policeman when he grows up.

Harvey graduated from kindergarten at the Sam-ang Elementary School last April and was due to turn five this July.

Jeovelyn said she did not have any idea why Harvey really wanted to become a policeman, but it was what she always heard from the boy.

Alexander, when asked if the incident would make him stop drinking, said that he can’t make such promise as it is his only means of escape.

The couple is now staying with relatives.—/NLQ