Jealous husband stabs wife dead

CEBU, Philippines -   “Basta driver, sweet lover.” This was the ironic statement of a 48-year-old taxi driver who stabbed his wife dead because of jealousy yesterday noon in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City.

 Lalaine Medana Traya, 44, died of several stab wounds perpetrated by no less than her husband of 31 years, Luciano Traya, driver of Juscar Taxi.

 Luciano tried to flee after the crime but he was cornered and arrested.

 Prior to the incident, Luciano was drinking with his eldest son, Luciano III, to whom he confided his problems about his wife.

 “Unya, duna ju’y mahitabo sa imong inahan (Something is bound to happen to your mother later),” the suspect told his son, who tried to convince him to settle their differences.

 Luciano III learned moments later that his father, who was apparently drunk, attacked and killed his mother.

 Lorna Compra, 44, and neighbor of the victim, said she was inside her house when she saw the victim running and being chased by the suspect.

 The suspect finally got hold of the victim and repeatedly stabbed her with a knife.

 Police said the suspect was also heard telling the victim earlier, “Maayo pa imong kabit kay pinangga nimo. (I envy your other man, you love him more.)”

 The victim was rushed by her son to the Cebu City Medical Center but she no longer made it there alive.

 The suspect allegedly threw the knife somewhere and rode on a taxi in an attempt to escape.

 Responding policemen collared him at the house of his uncle, Ricardo Traya, at F. Jaca Street, Barangay Pardo.

 He was taken to the CCMC because of a cut on his forehead, which he said he got when his wife tried to grapple for the knife during the attack.

 The suspect, in an interview with The FREEMAN, said he already suspected since 2008 that his wife has a lover, who is a barangay tanod in their place. In 2007, he said they argued about it and he even left their house for six months.

 “Giingnan ko sa asawa sa laki na iyahay ta’g bantay kay ang imong asawa ug ang akong bana mura’g naay relasyon,” the suspect said. (The wife of the other man told me we should watch over our spouses because it looked like they were having a relationship.)

 He said he tried to ignore the rumors by making himself busy with his work: “Para kung unsa man gani, di ko makasakop nila kung busy ko mag-drive taxi.”

He works as a taxi driver for 31 years also. But lately, he said, the rumors got more intense, prompting him to warn his wife.

 “Ako siya giingnan na ‘ikaw, ug muabot gani ang higayon na ma-wa akong pailob nimo, kung mapanuwayan ko, pasensya na lang ka,” he said. (I warned my wife that I might lose my patience.)

 Yesterday, he said, he already planned the crime. He regrets what he did but is prepared to face the consequences.

 He said he sold their electric fan to someone in Lapu-Lapu City so that he could claim his driver’s license and could drive again. But he had yet to get the payment so he got drunk and carried out the crime yesterday.

 Asked why he married so early, he answered, “Aw, basta driver, sweet lover.”

 The police will file a case for parricide against the suspect, who is now detained at the Cebu City Police Office detention cell. — (FREEMAN)