Charred body found in burned dilapidated hut

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A charred body was found after a dilapidated hut was reduced to ashes in Pototan, Iloilo.

The fire could have occurred morning of Dec 14, 2021, but the body was discovered around 2:30 p.m.

Major Ciriaco Esquilarga, Pototan police chief, said residents of Barangay Danao saw fire razing a “kamalig” or hut but they did not mind it since the structure had long been considered a “rundown.”

But when they checked hours later, a burnt figure, which was unmistakable to be that of a person, was found.

Esquilarga said members of the local police and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) went to the area to investigate.

Members of the Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) team were also called to process the scene of the incident.

SOCO operatives confirmed that the body was a male and was found in the middle where the hut used to stand.

It remains uncertain if there was foul play in his death.

Investigators have also yet to ascertain if the hut was intentionally burned or it was razed accidentally.

The BFP has already taken debris samples to determine if flammable substance was used in the burning.

As this developed, a family from Barangay Batuan, a village around 5 kilometers away from Danao, went to the police claiming that the man could be their kin.

They said he has not returned home since Monday.

But Esquilarga said they will need to confirm it, possibly through a DNA test.

An autopsy would also be conducted to determine the victim’s cause of death.