Alleged drug dependent stabs elderly woman dead

CEBU, Philippines - A 56-year-old grandmother was stabbed to death by her alleged drug dependent neighbor last Sunday afternoon in sitio Filter Site, Mohon II, barangay Tisa, Cebu City.

Tita Lourdes Sarmento, a widow, died on the spot after she was allegedly stabbed thrice by Jerome Abellanosa, 27.

A lone witness, the 11-year-old granddaughter of the victim, narrated that she was on her way to the ground floor from the second floor of their house supposedly to assist Sarmento who was doing the laundry at past 4 p.m. when she heard her grandma shout.

The victim told the police that Sarmento in a loud voice uttered “Aguy! Kinsa man ‘to? (Ouch! Who was that?),” then called her granddaughter’s name.

Thinking that something bad could have happened to her grandmother, the girl hurried to the ground floor and saw the victim slumped on the ground near the main door on a pool of blood.

She asked help from neighbors who then rushed the victim to the Cebu City Medical Center. But, on the way, Sarmento succumbed to the fatal wounds she sustained on her right chest, upper left chest, and on the left side of her neck.

The witness told reporters yesterday that she could never go wrong with the suspect’s identity since they are long-time neighbors and that their houses are less than 10 meters apart.

She allegedly saw Abellanosa running out of the house after stabbing the victim.

She added that the suspect is hooked to illegal drugs, which was confirmed by the mother of Abellanosa in a separate interview. In fact, Abellanosa’s mom described her son to be a “drug addict.”

She said that she saw her son sleeping that Sunday afternoon inside their house when she left to attend a party. She also shared that her son “gets scared every time he sees a knife.”

The suspect denied the report, telling reporters that he was in barangay Basak-Pardo when the incident happened the other afternoon. However, police said that the suspect earlier told them he was sleeping when the stabbing incident happened.

Police made it clear that the incident has nothing to do with either robbery or theft as not a single item went missing in the house.

A charge for murder will be filed against the suspect who is now detained at the Cebu City Police Office stockade. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV   Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Carillo is planning to pass an ordinance in the City Council that would penalize private schools which prohibit students from taking examinations.