Man who stabbed wife to death faces charges

CEBU, Philippines - The city prosecutor’s office charged a man in court with parricide for stabbing his wife to death.

Prosecutor Rhodna Alcala-Bacatan recommended no bail for accused Luciano Traya, 48. Bacatan said there is probable cause to charge Traya in court for killing his wife Lalaine last August 21, 2011.

The incident, reportedly triggered by jealousy, happened at the couple’s residence in Enriquez Compound, Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City.

In an affidavit, the couple’s eldest son Luciano Traya III said his father was drinking prior to the incident past 11am and reportedly told him something would happen to his mother.

“Unya duna juy mahitabu sa imong mama,” Luciano quoted his father as saying.

“I have this previous information that he and my mother were having recent feud over jealousy,” Luciano added.

He said he even tried to convince his father to settle their misunderstanding peacefully only to learn minutes later that the suspect had stabbed the victim while the latter was doing household chores.

Maria Theresa Florida, the live-in partner of Joseph Ian, another son of the couple, said the couple had a heated argument early morning that day. Traya reportedly accused his wife of favoring her alleged paramour.

“Maayo pa ang imung kabit pinangga pa nimu,” Florida quoted Traya as saying.

Two neighbors of the couple, Ginalyn Tanus and Lorna Compra, claimed having seen Traya chasing the victim out of the house with a knife. Compra said she saw the victim fall to the ground, but did not see the actual stabbing. It was Tanus who reportedly saw Traya stab his wife repeatedly.

“I saw Aunt Lalaine Traya who was lying on her belly and stabbed repeatedly be her husband Luciano Traya with the use of knife just the juncture of the entrance door of the neighbor’s house Lorna Compra,” Tanus’ affidavit reads.

Neighbors of the couple rushed the victim to the Cebu City Medical Center but she was declared dead on arrival. Policemen from the Pardo Police Station arrested Traya on the same day. – (FREEMAN)