CEBU, Philippines – Mayor Johnny De los Reyes categorically denied he was responsible for last week's fire that destroyed a mini dump truck parked right in front of Talisay City Police Station.
"Ako gyud ang mosunog sa dump truck? Kuyawa no, mayor yanohon lang og sunog taliwala sa kadaghang tawo nga nagsaulog sa Women's Month ug atubangan sa police station?" he said.
Delos Reyes is now seeking the counsel of his legal advisers after he was charged with arson before the Talisay City Prosecutor's Office over the incident.
Talisay City Police chief Superintendent Reycel Carmelo Dayon filed the case based on the testimonies of witnesses who identified De los Reyes as the perpetrator of the fire.
On Sunday last week, the mini-dump truck mysteriously went up on fire allegedly after De los Reyes shove away a group of children playing in the vehicle.
Police and fire investigators were baffled at the cause of the blaze that destroyed the dump truck's cowl, windshield and one of its front wheels.
The truck bearing plate number JEX 607 and is owned by Mariel Nebria, of Barangay Lagtang, Talisay City, was impounded by the police after it was caught hauling sand and gravel without permit.
One of the witnesses' accounts, given by a certain Edwin Manalo, initially accused De los Reyes of burning the truck.
But when the case was filed, Manalo said he did not actually see the mayor in the fire scene, adding that his affidavit was "purely malicious and mere fabrications" in order for him to escape the police who were looking for him in their house, putting his safety in question.
De los Reyes said he has all the witnesses to prove his innocence.
He said he was not alone at the time of the incident as he was with friends whom he met and passed by and made conversations with.
An employee of the City Hall who requested anonymity said he is willing to execute an affidavit in favor of De los Reyes.
De los Reyes blamed "dirty politics" behind the "dragging" of his name into the controversy.
He also said among all "malicious imputations" he is receiving almost everyday, this one by far is the most intense. — Renan L. Alangila of BANAT News