An arson complaint was filed against a janitor who claimed responsibility for burning a school, and the houses of Mayor Renato Gustilo and his grandfather, before the San Carlos City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, June 18, Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr., head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said.
The Bureau of Fire Protection placed the destruction to Daisy’s ABC School, and the two houses in an adjacent compound at about P20 million.
The 58-year-old janitor, who was in police detention, attempted to commit suicide by slashing his wrist on Sunday, Gustilo said.
He was immediately rushed to the San Carlos City Hospital and is under police guard to prevent a similar incident from happening, the mayor said.
The janitor had claimed responsibility for setting the school on fire , which spread to the two houses at Ylagan Street in San Carlos City on June 14.
He told the police he was angry because he was informed that he would be laid off from Daisy’s ABC School effective June 15 so he decided to burn it, PLt. Col. Nazer Canja, San Carlos police chief, said on Sunday.
The janitor, whose name was withheld by the police, said he bought a gallon of gasoline that he placed beside a lighted candle in the school stockroom to set off the fire, Canja said.
He only intended to burn the school, and not the house of the mayor, the janitor said.
Canja said the janitor turned himself in on Saturday, June 15.
The janitor allegedly was terminated from his job for failing to do his tasks and for smelling of liquor and smoking in the school premises.
The mayor said he was told that when his house was destroyed by the fire the janitor was conscience stricken and confessed.*