Woman hacked over debt; man shot dead

CEBU, Philippines - For failing to pay her P1,000 debt, a woman landed at the hospital after she was hacked by her neighbor in sitio City Central, Barangay Luz, last Saturday afternoon.

Police identified the victim as Luwella Mendoza, 29, and the suspect as Juvelyn Invento, 42. Invento’s live-in-partner, Marlon Gelig, is also being tagged as suspect.

Investigation showed that the victim was inside her house at around 2:30 pm when she heard Invento shouting outside, prompting her to look out and verify what’s happening.

She then found out that Invento was shouting at her and said “baga ka og nawong.”

Mendoza stepped out of her house and advised Invento to stop shouting. However, Invento continued.

Gelig then came and Mendoza asked him to restrain Invento but Gelig also didn’t listen until both suspects left the place.

A few minutes later, the victim was washing clothes outside her house when Invento and Gelig came back, this time, armed with a bolo.

Mendoza allegedly heard that Gelig kept on telling Invento to hack her. To defend herself, Mendoza picked up a stone and threw it at Invento, but the latter moved forward and eventually hacked her on the left side of her body, near the armpit.

A neighbor intervened and stopped them.

The victim was taken to the Cebu City Medical Center and was released a few hours after she was treated.

The suspect, on the other hand, voluntarily surrendered to the police and barangay tanods. Gelig fled and was no longer found.

Mendoza said she has a standing balance of P1,000 which she owed the suspect and this triggered the incident.

Meanwhile, a 64-year-old man was arrested after shooting to death his neighbor in Guinsay, Danao City shortly after midnight yesterday.

Jose Ipil Toledo, 45, died of a gunshot wound on his nape allegedly perpetrated by Bonifacio Meca.

PO3 Arnold Labini of Danao City Police Station said the victim and the suspect had a long-standing grudge.

In his rage, Meca allegedly shot Toledo.

Toledo was rushed to the Danao Provincial Hospital but no longer made it there alive while the suspect was arrested at his house by policemen who responded to the crime scene.

— (FREEMAN)