Man burns own house, suspecting wife's affair with his younger brod

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A 55-year-old man, apparently distraught over his suspicions that his wife was sleeping with his younger brother, allegedly burned his own house Thursday morning in Barangay Camanjac of this city.

Lucrito Corsame allegedy set fire to his own house in front of his family after waking them up first and forcing them out of their home, his wife Pacita, 45, told The Freeman.

The fire spread up to the home of their neighbor, Cecilia Estoras, 44. It burned down the family's belongings, including the P3,500 cash saving of Lucrito's daughter and P20,000 cash of Estoras.

"We lost everything, and firemen also had a difficult time stopping the fire because their truck could not get to our house," Pacita said in the dialect, adding that the fire also killed their trusted dog.

"We could not believe that he could do such an act. I believe he was so convinced that I was sleeping with his brother," she said, while denying her husband's allegations of her illicit affair.

Lucrito was eventually arrested by City Police and his own neighbors Thursday afternoon after his son saw him hiding on top of a talisay tree near his burned house.

Recovered from the suspect were a 12-inch kitchen knife and a 20-inch bolo, police records showed. He is now in custody of the police with arson charges filed against him.  (FREEMAN)