Magpale: Parents should face raps

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Vice governor Agnes Magpale has sent lawyers to assist in the filing of charges against the parents of the two children, who died in a fire in Toledo City Friday night.

Magpale, who also chairs the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children, said that Ale-xander Borgador, Sr and his wife, Jeovelyn, are liable of the deaths of their two sons.

“The parents are really liable because they locked the door from outside,” Magpale said.

Brothers Alexander, Jr, and Harvy, ages 2 and 5, respectively, were trapped inside their house in Sitio Sinsin, Barangay Sam-ang, Toledo City when it caught fire at past 9 p.m. last Friday.

Magpale said they are leaving up to the lawyers to determine what charges to file against the parents.

“Homicide na gani to, but we leave this up to the lawyers. But para nako, child abuse is very mild lang against them,” Magpale said.

Meanwhile, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is extending P10,000 cash assistance and food supply to the Borgador family. An assistance that is standard operation for the provincial government after every calamity.

Garcia, who just arrived from Manila, yesterday said the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office headed by Marivic Garces has already coordinated with the social welfare office of Toledo City for the turn-over of the assistance.

Following the incident, Toledo City Mayor Aurelio Espinosa has ordered to intensify the orientation and seminar for families living in the mountain areas.

Espinosa said he will be calling all the barangay captains in the city as well as city fire marshal Sr. Insp. Randy Mendaros to discuss the matter.

“I-intensify na nako aron makahibalo gyud ang mga tao nga dili a-ngay magbilin og kandila sa balay labi na kung ang mga bata lang ang nahibilin ( I will intensify to let the people know that it is not proper to leave lighted candle with only children left at home),” Espinosa told The FREEMAN over the phone.

Espinosa admitted they have been conducting seminars already together with the Local Social Welfare Office and the City Disaster and Risk Management Council but what happened was really negligence.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 said they are just waiting for the local social welfare officer to ask their assistance before they will come in.

Jaybee Binghay, information officer of DSWD-7, said they are ready to assist the local social welfare office.

“It’s the obligation of the LSWO to do an assessment but if they lack the manpower and the resources and they need us, that will be the time that we will help them,” she said.  (FREEMAN)