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By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

A TRANSGENDER was burned to death while his partner was badly hurt when their rented house went on fire at Phase 1-A, Lot 25, Block 3, Villa Trinitas Subdivision in Barangay Bugo, this city, at dawn yesterday.

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Investigators identified the victim as Ritchie Gonzales, also known as Paloma, 33, of Koronadal, Cotabato.

Gonzales’s live-in partner, Rene Nigabatan, 32, suffered third degree burns, and was rushed to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).

SFO1 Jose Valmores said Gonzales mostly likely passed out because of the smoke before the fire reached his room.

“Beyond recognition na gyud ang victim sa dihang nasudlan namo,” Valmores said.

“Pagmata namo kalayo na. Galisod na mi og gawas,” Nigabatan recalled.

Nigabatan said he and Gonzales went out of the house but the transgender took the risk and went back to get his laptop.

“Napagawas pa gani namo ang motorcycle para dili maapil pero wala ko kabantay nga misulod siya og balik,” he said.

Gonzales was into online business while Nigabatan was engaged in selling motorcycle parts and accessories.

The two victims had rented the house for about two years from Cherry Rose Marquez.

Authorities placed the damages to property at P200 thousand.

The fire broke out at 3:45 am, and fire fighters put it out about an hour later.

When fire fighters arrived, some 60 percent of the house was already destroyed by the fire.

Firewalls from adjacent residential houses prevented the spread of fire.

Valmores said investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.

A witness, he said, told investigators the fire started from the ceiling, making them theorize that it was a result of faulty electrical wirings.

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