Father recalls last phone call with family killed in Taytay fire

A father on Sunday recalled his last phone call with his family trapped in their residence in Taytay, Rizal hit by a fire that claimed the lives of his wife, daughter, and four other family members.

According to Roland Javier, he spoke to his two-year-old daughter Martina Rolaine before he went to work on Saturday evening. He then received a phone call from his frantic family at around 9:22 p.m., saying a fire hit their rented home.

“Nagtitilian na lang, naririnig ko lang tilian. ‘Labas na!’ Sinisigaw ko ‘Lumabas na kayo diyan! Lumabas na kayo diyan!,” he said in a report by Marisol Abdurahman on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(They were shouting, I just heard shouting. "Get out!" I was screaming, "Get out of there! Get out of there!")

Roland arrived in the area to find out his daughter Martina, his wife Ma. Christina, and four other members were killed during the fire.

“Uunahin ko ‘yung bata eh. Ilalabas ko talaga ‘yung bata kahit anong mangyari, kahit masunog ako, basta ilalabas ko ‘yung bata ng buhay, ‘yun ang gagawin ko talaga,” he said.

(I would prioritize the child. I would really get her out no matter what, even if I burn, as long as I get her out alive, that is really what I would do.)

Barangay San Juan Chairman Rasel Valera said that the Javier family residence was located at the end of the compound, and they were unaware of the fire.

“‘Yung pito na ‘yun ay naninirahan sa pinakadulo ng compound, so wala siyang alam sa kaganapan dito sa harapan na siyang entry and exit point ng compound na ‘yun,” he said.

(The seven of them were residing at the far end of the compound, and they were unaware of the goings on at the front end, which is the entry and exit point of the compound.)

The fire was said to have started in the residence of Juancho Lina, who sustained burns on his head, nape, arms, and back. He said he woke up with the house in flames.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA Integrated News