A 50-year-old man was burned to death when he allegedly set on fire his newly-built house in a residential compound in Brgy. Progreso, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, Saturday.

Senior Inspector Albert Sy, Binalbagan police chief, yesterday identified the victim as Jerich Gasataya, alias Itok, whose charred body was found in the second floor of his burned house.

Sy said a 357 magnum revolver without a load in its chamber, and an air gun rifle with wires attached to its trigger mechanism, were also recovered by police investigators at the scene.

Initial investigations by the Binalbagan police showed that two gunshots were allegedly heard by Gasataya’s neighbors, which reportedly came from the airgun, after the fire broke out.

Sy said they cannot yet establish if it was a suicide case, since the report of the SOCO (Scene Of the Crime Operatives) probers led by Inspector Hernan Donado, who conducted a thorough probe of the fire incident, is still expected to be completed this week.

A post mortem examination on the body of Gasataya, conducted by Dr. Hazel Pagunsa, showed that he suffered third degree burns that caused his death.

Gasataya, whose wife and child are working in the United States, was also alone in the house, at the time.

Firefighters of the Binalbagan Bureau of Fire and Protection, who responded to the fire call, with town policemen put out the fire, that razed the house of Gasataya that was made of light materials.*GPB

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