Violence in the family

CEBU, Philippines - Like any year, 2011 saw its own share of crimes and violence. 

While many of these were quickly forgotten, some crimes not just hogged the headlines but shook the foundations of communities to the core as they did not involve strangers killing strangers but people turning on their own family.

Cybersex in Cordova

The sleepy town of Cordova was rocked by scandal last June 1 after a couple and three women were arrested for running a cybersex operation wherein minors were made to pose naked for foreigners watching via webcam.

Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation in coordination with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the US Homeland Security Department arrested the couple in the act of exploiting their five children and a niece aged 15, 13, 11, nine, seven and four. Of the six children, two are male and the rest are female.

It was Provincial Women's Commission of Cebu chairwoman Vice Governor Agnes Magpale who requested the operation after receiving complaints about the nefarious activities of the couple.

The NBI immediately conducted surveillance operations and requested the assistance of the US Homeland Security Department.

Through the aid of a federal agent assisting from abroad, NBI operatives went to the house of the couple in Barangay Ibabao with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes and caught them in the act.

The couple will be charged for violation of the Republic Act 9208 otherwise known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of not less than P2 million.

The raiding team also seized sex toys, receipt of the transaction, and a personal computer as evidence.

Based on the investigation conducted by the NBI, the father was hooked on drugs while his wife was addicted to gambling. 

The suspects admitted to the crime saying it was their means of living. In tears, they asked for forgiveness and swore to find a decent job but social workers said they cannot grant the request.

Through coordination between PWCC and the Department of Welfare the children were enrolled in an undisclosed school and given thorough medical and psychological examination.

Magpale also requested for the couple to be transferred to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center where doctors can give pre-natal care to the woman who was six months pregnant.

Magpale assured that the six children are doing well under the PWCC.

On July 12 in the same municipality, three minors were rescued and three other women were arrested during a raid on another cybersex den in Barangay Cogon.

The Provincial Intelligence Branch arrested three married women aged 31, 29, and 25; one of them the mother of one of the victims who were aged 17, 12 and nine.

The subject of the warrant was not around during the operation while the caretaker was able to elude arrest.

PIB deputy Chief Insp. Mark Sucalit said that victims were paid P200 to P300 per session.

The suspects are willing to become state witness against the subject of the search warrant.

Aside from Cordova, the towns of Consolacion, Minglanilla, and Danao City were also identified as areas for cybersex activities.

Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador said they lack the equipment to monitor cybersex hubs and depend only on manual monitoring and coordination with the Children's Legal Bureau.

Another problem is how the police can gather evidence against cybersex suspects as they cannot freely enter homes without probable cause.

Last November, a well-equipped cyber crime laboratory was constructed at the CPPO headquarters to help in cyber crime investigation not only in Cebu but the entire Central Visayas.

With the establishment of the cyber lab, there is no need for the PNP to go to Manila for forensic examination since the same can now be done in Cebu level.

Bantilan killings

Last Sept. 9, a pregnant woman and her five-year-old daughter were killed by the woman's 16-year-old son inside their house in Barangay Naalad, Naga City.

The woman was stabbed repeatedly with a knife while her daughter was also stabbed then shot.

The boy's friend Bryan Pansoy and neighbor Mark Lester Abastas identified him as the culprit. 

Police said the three were at a benefit dance during a fiesta in Sitio Sudlon, Barangay Tinaan, Naga City, that night and ran out of liquor.

In their search for money for more liquor Abastas and Pansoy told the boy to go home and ask for money from his mother and accompanied him to the house.

Naga Police Station chief Chief Insp. Timmar Alam said that the boy bought a cigarette in their sari-sari store before he bludgeoned Virgindina Bantilan in the head with a .357 cal. revolver before getting a knife and stabbing her. He then grabbed his half-sister who was still eating at that time and also killed her.

After making sure both were dead, he took his mother's cellular phone. The boy later sold the gun to Pansoy and the cellular phone to Abastas. It was a customer who went to buy at the store who found the bodies the following morning.

During questioning, the boy pointed to Pansoy as the assailant.

The police went to the house of Pansoy and recovered the bloodstained .357 cal. revolver inside a white plastic bag. But Pansoy denied the crime saying he was at the highway at the time.

Police also saw the boy has scratches in his arms.

Alam said that the boy was planning to ask for money but thought his mother would only scold him and attacked her instead.

The boy also admitted he was jealous his mother loved his half-sister more than him. Neighbors also claimed that suspect was a drug user and often got angry and loud when his mother failed to give him money.

Virgindina's sister Natividad Francia said her sister stopped sending the boy to school after seeing that the latter was not serious in his studies. 

A case for special complex crime for robbery with homicide was filed before the Regional Trial Court in Naga City against the boy while Pansoy was filed with conspiracy to the crime.

But Francia asked the NBI to deepen the investigation saying she does not believe the boy committed the crime.

Two days after the killing, relatives of the victims said one of them was hounded by men on a motorcycle. Francia said this happened after media disclosed the victim kept a vault containing P400,000 and some dollars.

The Naga police provided policemen to secure the victim's house and another team to patrol the area from time to time.

Ponce Massacre

Another shocking domestic tragedy happened on Oct. 16 when Emmanuel Ponce shot dead his wife, three of his children and their helper before turning the gun on himself inside their house in Palm View Village in Sitio Sangi, Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.

The sole survivor of the household massacre is the 14-year-old daughter of the couple. Emmanuel, a retired seaman, was found dead sitting on a chair in their dining area. He was still holding the .45 cal. pistol, which he used to shoot his family when the police arrived.

Found lying at the dining area with a gunshot wound to the head was his wife Melinda Ponce, 53, a bank manager, and their helper Anastacia Deniega, 30, who was shot in the chest.

In the living room were Heather Joy Ponce, 25, a radiologic technologist and Emlin Bridge Ponce, 18, a second year high school student. Elaine Grace Ponce, 26, a call center agent, was found dead in her bedroom. 

SPO1 Mikee Espina said before the incident, Melinda, who just arrived from their BDO sportsfest, was snacking when a confrontation ensued between her and Emmanuel about personal matters.

"Namainit tingali ni kay didto pa ma'y bingka sa lamesa," Espina said.

Talisay City Police chief investigator Insp. Ricardo Echavez said the girl told them she woke up from her sleep after hearing several gunshots inside their house.

She said that she ran out of her room and saw Emlin lying on the living room while Heather was kneeling before their father.

She added he told her, "gawas didto dai kay ikaw ra'y mabuhi, magpakamatay ko, pagtawag ug pulis." She then ran outside and heard a gunshot.

She admitted that her parents were not in good terms and had been arguing about some personal matters.

Dr. Rene Obra, head of the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for Behavioral Sciences, said Emmanuel was not purely out of his mind because he still did something logical and was able to give logical instruction when he spared his 14-year-old daughter. He suspected that what triggered the killing was the depression and rejection Emmanuel felt when his three children and wife disrespected him when he stopped working as a seaman.

Obra also said that the pistol Emmanuel had also contributed in pushing him to commit the offense. He said that Emmanuel was unable to control his anger and killed his family but later when he realized his family members were dead he then shot himself.

Dalangin Homicide

After Christian Lucky Dalangin, 20, a fourth year Nursing dropout, slit the throat of his mother, Ruby Rosa Tenchavez, 53, inside their house at Ganciang St. corner Cashmere St., Maria Gochan Subdivision, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, last August 23, it was the talk of the city for days.

Christian, who recently admitted in court that he killed his mother in exchange for a plea bargain, was sentenced to 10 years to 17 years in prison for homicide.

The National Bureau of Investigation said that the killing was the result of a fight between the victim and Christian who was believed to be high on illegal drugs at the time.

Forensics experts said that Dalangin killed his mother in the living room where they found bloodstains on the floor. After killing her he placed her body on a couch.

In order to dispose of the corpse, Dalangin went to the house of his friend, Carmelo Echevalla, 19, to ask for his help. But when Dalangin asked Echevalla to help him put his mother's body inside a trash bag, Echevalla ran away in fear.

Dalangin threatened Echevalla that if he would report the incident to the police, bad things would happen to him and his family. But Echevalla still contacted the authorities anyway.

Christian buried his mother in a grave four feet deep dug inside their stockroom. The knife used in the killing was never found.

Christian later agreed to pleading guilty of the parricide case against him was downgraded to homicide. — /BRP (FREEMAN)