Addict gets 12 years for arson

A 28-year-old jobless man was meted yesterday 12 years in jail by the Antipolo regional trial court (RTC) for setting the house of his foster mother on fire in 1997, when she refused him drug money.

Judge Mauricio Rivera, of RTC Branch 73, found Abraham Lorenzo, of Cogeo Village, Barangay Cupang, Antipolo City, guilty of arson and rejected Lorenzo’s claim that the fire was the result of an accident.

Court records show that on Feb. 5, 1997, the suspect, who was high on drugs, arrived in their house and asked his foster mother Zenaida for drug money.

When she refused to hand him money, he grabbed a bolo and ran after her. However, Zenaida was quick enough to rush out of their house.

Minutes later, thick black smoke came out of their house. The victim called for help before she fainted. She regained her consciousness at the hospital.

The entire neighborhood responded to her call for help and was able to put out the fire immediately. — Non Alquitran