Arson charges filed against barangay Capitol Site man

A man will face trial before the Regional Trial Court for allegedly setting on fire eight houses, a bakeshop, a hardware store , and a dental clinic in barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City last Sunday.

The Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office filed arson charges in court against Juanito “Boyet” Potot Jr.

No bail was recommended.

Potot who earlier denied starting the fire waived a preliminary investigation.

At least four witnesses executed an affidavit against Potot who is the step-brother of Dr. Perlita Abrojena, owner of Josephine’s All Dental Clinic.

Joan Zamora, custodian of Abrojena’s house, said she saw Potot trying to burn plastic materials near the house.

She said she poured water on the flames before she went to Arbees Baskeshop.

When Zamora went back, she said she saw Potot’s house already on fire and the supect running away.

“I believ that before Boyet lighted the plastic materials in the stairs, he already lighted some combustible materials inside his room since the fire grew rapidly when I came back,” Zamora said in her affidavit.

She said Potot earlier admitted trying to burn his house down several times.

Two 15-year-old girls also testified against Potot.

They said they saw Potot getting out of his room, holding a lighter when the fire began.

The girls said Potot also burned his air conditioner outside his room.

Potot’s half-sister Perlita executed an affidavit against the accused although she didn’t see the crime.

“I believe my brother intentionally cause the fire. He was previously detained at the drug rehabilitation center in Argao, Cebu. He was released sometime of January 2010. Since then, he oftentimes got wild and caused alarm in our locality,” she said.

Potot, who denied the allegations against him, said he was on his way to the toilet when fire broke out in his bedroom.

Potot was arrested by police after the fire./with reports from Chito O. Aragon