In Quezon, a film director and three others were arrested for burning a modern jeepney.
QUEZON – A film director and three others were arrested by the police for burning a modern jeepney in Catanauan on Wednesday night.
The four suspects, identified as Ernesto Toriado Orcine, 50, a sales manager from Bacoor, Cavite; Noel Cervantes Mariano, 54, a civil engineer from Brgy. Tagpus, Binangonan, Rizal; Dominic Valerio Ramos, 28, a civil engineer from Brgy. San Fernando, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija; and Jade Francis Cabales Castro, 46, a film director, screenwriter, and producer from Fifth Condominium, San Rafael St. Capitolyo, Pasig City, are now detained at the Catanauan Municipal Police Station.
According to a Facebook post from the Police Regional Office 4A (PRO4A), the suspects were arrested in Mulanay after the police received information that they had checked into a resort in Brgy. Butanyog.
Witnesses positively identified the suspects as the ones who burned the modern jeepney on the national road of Brgy. Dahican on the night of Wednesday, January 31. The jeepney was en route to Poblacion, Catanauan when it was intercepted by the four suspects.
The suspects forced the driver, conductor, and three passengers of the jeepney to alight before setting it on fire using a gas tank. After the arson, the suspects immediately fled using a car.
Area Police Command-Southern Luzon (APC-SL) Director Police Lt. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento clarified that the incident stemmed from a dispute between the modern jeepney cooperative and a local transport group. Apparently, the police have not released information on how the mentioned film director was involved in the incident.
Meanwhile, arson is the criminal act of deliberately and unlawfully setting fire to property or structures. It is a serious offense due to the potential risks to life, property, and the environment. The motives for arson can vary, and penalties for this crime range from fines to imprisonment, with severity based on factors like damage extent and the presence of people. Investigations aim to determine the cause, collect evidence, and identify those responsible.