Drug-crazed woman starts fire; 30 houses razed in Malabon

A 25-year-old woman suspected of being high on drugs was arrested by the police for allegedly starting a fire which razed some 30 houses in a depressed community in Malabon Tuesday afternoon.

No one was killed or injured in the fire, officials said.

Officer-on-case PO1 Reynaldo Gabatin said suspect Mary Jane San Jose, a resident of 5 Atis Road, Potrero, Malabon was nabbed at about 8 p.m. when she returned to the scene of the crime. San Jose is now detained at the Malabon police detention center facing arson charges.

Probers said the fire started at about 2 p.m. Tuesday shortly after witnesses saw San Jose leaving the house of Sammy Peñaflor in the neighborhood on Atis Road.

The fire was believed to have started from Peñaflor’s house.

Witness Noel Indic told police he saw Jose enter Peñaflor’s house and set a curtain on fire. The flames, fanned by strong winds, quickly spread to other houses, fire investigators said.

Residents complained that it took sometime before the Potrero Fire Station, located only four blocks away from the fire site, was able to respond to the fire call. They said the first firetruck to arrive came from Valenzuela City.

Meanwhile, a barangay tanod was killed while two others were injured after the barangay patrol tricycle they were riding on was rammed by a 10-wheeler truck early yesterday morning in Caloocan City.

Barangay 78 tanod Darwin Adon, 30, who was driving the tricycle, took the full brunt of the collision and died while being treated at the Manila Central University (MCU) Hospital.

Adon’s companions, Ferdinand Mangonon, 28 and Domingo Maglinte, 41, both residents of Maligwas street, 10th Avenue, Grace Park, Caloocan City were taken to the same hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

The trailer-truck driver, who later surrendered to the police, was identified as Alejandro Madrid, 42, of 30 Bada, Batac, Ilocos Norte.

Police records showed the incident occurred at about two in the morning yesterday at the intersection of 7th Avenue and M.H. del Pilar Street, East Grace Park, Caloocan.

Traffic investigators said the northbound trailer (WDA 687), which was running along M. H. del Pilar street, failed to slow down at the intersection and hit the tricycle bearing the three victims.

The suspect has been detained at the Caloocan City police detention center as charges of reckless imprudence leading to serious physical injuries are being readied against him.