Jealous sexagenarian kills common-law wife

A 67-year-old vegetable vendor of the Carbon Public Market stabbed to death his live-in partner and then killed himself using the same knife inside their rented room in sitio Villa Zacate, barangay Basak-Pardo the other afternoon.

Police found the bodies of Milajoy delos Santos alias Joy, believed to be in her 40s, and her common-law husband Sergio Armamento. Both were engaged in selling vegetables at the Carbon market.

PO3 Henry Estoy of the Homicide Section told The FREEMAN that the children of the Celeste household, where the couple was renting a room, reportedly heard the two arguing prior to their deaths.

Few minutes later, Jovelito Celeste, 19, and his 16-year-old sister heard a loud voice uttering repeatedly "agay, tay!" This prompted them to check what was going on in the adjacent room where the couple was staying.

To their shock, they saw Delos Santos sprawled on the floor, bleeding profusely. Then they saw Armamento stab himself with a knife in the chest, police said.

The two then called their relatives and neighbors for help who in turn called the police for assistance.

The Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation, led by Bryan Gamba, also responded to the incident. His team tried to revive Delos Santos and Armamento. But the effort proved futile.

Investigators of the Homicide Section led by PO3 Rogelio Nedamo learned from one Sandra Ahig, 44, a barangay tanod of Basak-Pardo that a week ago, Delos Santos went to the barangay hall and reported that Armamento threatened to kill her.

She said Armamento has been suspecting she is having an affair with another man. - Edwin Ian Melecio/MEEV