Korean to face arson rap for pension house fire

POLICE arrested a Korean national who was accused of setting a room in  a pension house on fire in barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City Saturday afternoon.

Park Su Chul, 28, could be charged for arson, police said. He is detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO).

Police said that Park  was one of the two Koreans who occupied room 302 of Happy Haven Pension House.

Around 1 p.m. Saturday, a room boy noticed thick smoke coming from the room.

He knocked on the door but no one responded.

He then alerted his fellow workers who helped him forcibly open the door using a duplicate key.

The room was already on fire when the door was opened prompting the workers to take fire extinguishers to put out the fire.

Police said the fire damaged bed sheets, a television set, an electric fan and other valuables inside the room.

Things inside the room were in disarray.

Park refused to comment on the arrest.

Police said Park and another Korean identified as Leo checked in at the pension house last Friday night.

SFO1 Atelano Berido, arson investigator, said they will assist the management in filing charges against the Korean.

PO2 Jeffrey Maglangit of the city’s tourist police said they suspected that Park  was high on drugs or was under the influence of alcohol during the incident./CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA