Four houses burn in Bacolod on Good Friday; man slain

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Ten people were left homeless after a fire destroyed four houses in Purok Makawiwili, Barangay Banago on Good Friday, April 3.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) received the report at around 10:02 p.m. Three houses were completely destroyed, and one was partially damaged.

Fire Insp. Jemarie Tapiru, deputy city fire marshal, said the fire started from burning rubbish behind a house still under construction.

Witnesses said the homeowner had poured water on the fire before leaving, but it was not fully extinguished.

The flames quickly spread to nearby houses made of light materials.

Responders faced difficulty reaching the area, which required crossing two bamboo bridges to access what was classified as a red zone.

Firefighters had to connect 17 hoses to reach the scene, Tapiru said.

The fire was declared under control at 10:31 p.m. Estimated property damage reached PHP 35,000.

In a separate incident, a 32-year-old man was found dead with slash and multiple stab wounds in Purok 3, Barangay Laga-an, Calatrava, Negros Occidental on Wednesday, April 1.

The victim, identified by police as Wewin, was last seen alive at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, before he reportedly left home.

Based on statements gathered by authorities, the victim was believed to have been waylaid by one or more unidentified persons upon reaching the area.

He sustained a slash wound to the neck and multiple stab wounds to the body.

No witnesses came forward to identify the perpetrator or provide a clear account of the incident. No weapon was recovered at the scene.

The victim underwent a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death and document the extent of injuries.

Police are retracing the victim’s last known movements and checking for possible witnesses. Coordination with barangay officials is ongoing for information that may lead to identifying the perpetrator.