Refusing help, father and son in burning car die in Cagayan de Oro City

MANILA, Philippines—A man and his son were killed inside a burning car in a village in Cagayan de Oro City Tuesday morning, said Senior Superintendent Gerardo Rosales, the city police director.

Rosales said the man, identified as 41-year-old Rey Fabre, who introduced himself as a lawyer to residents, sat inside his car with his three-year-old son, refusing help from residents when his Mitsubishi Lancer got stuck in a muddy portion of the road in Zone 2, Bayabas village at around 4:30 a.m.

Fabre even shot one of those who tried to help him move the car from the muddy area, said Rosales.

A certain Fiel Villamor was shot in his shoulder and ear when he tried to rescue the three-year-old boy sitting in the passenger seat.

Rosales said the car overheated and caught fire but Fabre and his son stayed inside the vehicle. “Panay revolution ng sasakyan hanggang sa nag overheat at later on nasunog,” he said.

Because Fabre was armed, the residents who tried to help could not approach the vehicle and called firefighters to the area.

But Fabre and his son were already dead when the firefighters arrived, said Rosales. “Totally burned (na) nung dumating ang fire trucks patay (na) sila.”

Police have not yet determined why Fabre refused to get off the vehicle or allow his son to be saved but witnesses in the area told authorities the lawyer may have had family problems, said Rosales.

Recovered from the vehicle were a bayonet knife, a 9mm pistol, a.38- caliber revolver and two spent shells from a 9mm pistol.