Police in Corella expressed suspicion that a suspected arsonist intentionally set the fire which razed a house in the town last week and left P100,000 in property damages.

According to Senior Master Sgt. Rowel Socorin of the Corella Police Station, they have pinpointed a “person of interest” who may have involvement behind the blaze in Barangay Canapnapan, Corella which erupted at dawn on Thursday.

Socorin said that based on testimonies from longtime residents in the village there have been multiple fires in the area since the 1990s as they claimed that a pyromaniac may be on the loose.

“Nag-istorya ko’s mga taw didto, ni-aging katuigan kuno, kanang baryoha sa Canapnapan daghan kunong sunog nahitabo dihang dapita…mao poy na-interview nako sa katiguwangan basin kuno naay taw na dunay pyromania…‘Nya kanang mga abandonadong mga bay sunugon, karaan na way puyo. Mga 90s pa kuno diha na ni. Hantod karon way na-filan kaso, nadakpan,” said Socorin.

A person with pyromania has an obsessive desire to set fire to things.

However, Socorin said that they are still verifying the claims.

“Sa karon, usa aka tiguwang. Pero ingon sila na di pud katuo sila kay tiguwang, 70 na kapin, gasungkod na. Mao man puy storya sa mga taw pero di man pud magkapareha ang testimonya so maong amo sang iconnnect connect sa ni,” said Socorin.

The owner of the burned house was identified as Auerelio Caliao.

No one was injured during the blaze as the house was often left unattended as Caliao is based in Taguig City.

“Mag-uli uli ra ni. Mag stay ra na siya mga one month ‘nya balik napud Taguig. Naay caretaker pero igo ra magpasiga og suga,” said Socorin.

According to Socorin, Caliao’s house was also almost set on fire in March. The fire only started in a pile of dead coconut leaves near the house but was put out before it could burn the structure.

Caliao who flew to Bohol following the incident said that he has not been in conflict with anyone who could try to inflict harm on him or cause damage to his property.

Authorities have also noted that there were no plugged appliances in the house as a caretaker only goes to the residence at night to turn on the lights and turn them off in the morning.

“Og electrical wiring kuno pud wa man kunoy gipangsaksak didto. Pawngon man nig adlaw sa caretaker, maoy ipasiga og gabii kay wa may appliances didto na gipangsaksak,” Socorin added.