SC upholds 40-year sentence for arsonist

The Supreme Court recently affirmed the conviction of a woman who burned down a house she was living in at Sampaloc, Manila after her live-in girlfriend wanted to break up with her.

In a decision promulgated last Oct. 15, the Supreme Court affirmed a decision by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 41 and a subsequent ruling by the Court of Appeals convicting Julie Gil, 24, of the crime of destructive arson with homicide and sentencing her to 40 years in prison.

Gil was also ordered by the Manila court to pay the heirs of Rodolfo Cabrera, who died in the fire she started, P50,000 as civil damages and P18,950 for funeral and burial expenses.

Court records showed that in March 1998, Gil deliberately set fire to the house on Sulucan street in Sampaloc, owned by Angge Arguelles.

According to court records, the relative of Gil’s live-in partner, Trinidad Domingo, 25, who were also living in the house, allegedly treated Gil badly.

Gil poured kerosene on a mattress in her room, then ignited it with a lighter. The fire, which spread to adjacent houses, destroyed a total of P2 million worth of property.

William Lim, a councilman in Barangay 395, Zone 41, testified that on March 1, 1998 a woman who introduced herself as Julie Gil wanted to surrender to a barangay official.

According to Lim, Gil was drunk and confused. She said her conscience bothered her and admitted burning her residence.

Lim asked around and was told that there was indeed a fire that took place in the area. Gil was brought to Fire Station 4, where she grabbed a pen from a policeman and started writing down her account of the incident. – Sandy Araneta