Woman who set sleeping husband on fire charged in Pampanga

By Donna Rempillo

STA. RITA, Pampanga – A 24-year-old wife was charged with murder on July 26, after she allegedly set her husband on fire while he was sleeping in their house here.

An initial investigation of the Sta. Rita Municipal Police Station (MPS) disclosed that Gisel Batas, 24, doused her husband Vidal “Verver” Batas, 25, with gasoline while he was sleeping at around 3 a.m., Sunday, then set him on fire at their residence in Zone 3, Barangay San Isidro (Gasak).

                “Suspect (wife) waited for the victim to fall asleep and subsequently, she poured flammable gasoline on the victim and burned the latter. The suspect tried to escape in an unknown direction, but was later arrested,” the police report said.

Relatives and neighbors broughtVerver to the Jose B. Lingad Regional Memorial Hospital (JBLRMH), where he died hours later at 1 p.m., July 26.

Sta. Rita Chief of Police Capt. Renemer James Pornia said the Batas couple frequently fought over Verver’s alleged womanizing, which may have been the reason why Gisel hatched the fiery revenge.

Some relatives also told the police about a previous stabbing incident involving the couple.

While there was no witness to the brutal crime, Verver was nevertheless able to tell his elder brother Jojo what happened before he expired.

Gisel is now facing a non-bailable case of murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code, which police were set to file with the Pampanga Provincial Prosecutors Office on  July 27.

The couple has two children – a seven-year-old boy, and a one-year-old girl.