Negros Oriental woman burned alive by live-in partner after spat

DUMAGUETE CITY—A woman was burned alive by her live-in partner following an argument on Thursday night  at their makeshift hut in Barangay Calangag, Bacong, Negros Oriental.

Police identified the victim as Patricia Agot Quinekes, in her late 50s.

Her common-law husband, Calixtro Bangayciso Villanobos, 58, was detained at the Bacong police station to face charges in court for violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act of 2004.

Senior Insp. Romel Luga, acting police chief of Bacong, said they received a report that the makeshift house of Quinekes was on fire at about 5:30 p.m.

Responding policemen found that the woman was on fire by the time they arrived at the crime scene.

Her neighbors tried to put out the fire but couldn’t get near due to the searing heat, said Luga.

He said the police found Villanobos sitting on a rock near where the woman was burned to death.

Villanobos admitted setting his common-law wife on fire because of her constant nagging.

Initial police investigation showed that the couple went to the town proper to buy things they needed in the house using money they earned from selling sand and gravel.

The two then started drinking liquor in the town market. By the time they headed home at about 3 p.m., the two were already drunk.

When they arrived home, the police said the two had a heated argument.

A few minutes later, the makeshift house made of coconut fronds went up in smoke.