Drunk man hacks cousin to death

CEBU, Philippines - A man was hacked to death by his cousin who was believed to be drunk when the incident happened the other day in sitio Tapal, barangay Guadalupe in Carcar City.

The victim was identified as Ernesto Lañas, 50-year-old, of sitio Bagakay in the nearby barangay Valencia. 

The police identified the suspect as Constancio Tabura, 48, cousin and neighbor of the victim.

The initial investigation conducted by Carcar Police Station revealed that the victim was tending to his corn farm when the suspect, armed with a long sharp-bladed weapon, appeared and started hacking Lañas without any provocation.

Lañas suffered several hack wounds on his body resulting to his death.

The suspect immediately surrendered to Jose Joel Allison, a barangay court member in Valencia, who went to the place to respond to a call for help. According to Allison, he heard a shout for help from the victim prompting him to check.

Responding police officers failed to recover the weapon used in the said crime because the suspect claimed that he already threw it.

Tabura said he could no longer remember where he threw it because he was drunk during the time he committed the crime.

SPO4 Robin Reynes of the Carcar police said that the suspect have previous records in the barangay of the nature.   According to the police, Tabura has a tendency of becoming violent especially when under the influence of liquor.

A criminal complaint for murder was already filed against Tabura before the Carcar City Prosecutor’s Office. — Mellanie Joy C. Rosales, CNU intern/FPL