MAN SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE IN MANAOAG, PANGASINAN

BY KEVIN GALANG

A 55-YEAR-OLD  man committed suicide by setting himself on fire in a pilgrimage area in Manaoag, Pangasinan, police said yesterday.

PSSg Erick J. Riola and PSSg Manolito A. Parinas of the Manaoag Municipal Police Station, officers-on case, identified the victim as Luisito Pineda Buenaventura, a mechanic, and a resident of Bgy. Botao, Santa Barbara, Pangasinan.

The alleged suicide was captured by Buenaventura’s own cellphone, which he set before he killed himself.

Police said they received a call from Bgy. Pugaro kagawad Shaquille Muñoz that the remains of a burnt person were found at Virgin’s Well, a pilgrimage area in Manaoag,  at 4 p.m. on January 4.

Prior to the gruesome find, a caretaker named Leonardo Dioso Mosada, 25, noticed an unattended motorcycle in the parking area of the holy site. 

Mosada searched for the owner of the motorbike and was shocked to find a burnt body near a grassy part of the Virgin’s Well.

The caretaker immediately called the police.

Responding lawmen found the burnt body, who was later on identified through his mobile phone, recovered at the crime scene.

An investigation showed the victim set his cellphone and took a video of himself committing suicide.

The victim was shown on video pouring gasoline all over his body before igniting himself to death.

Buenaventura was even heard on video grimacing in pain.

Family problem allegedly pushed the victim to take his own life.

Authorities are conducting a follow-up investigation into the incident.