OFW kills 2, then dies inside jail

CEBU, Philippines - An Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who just arrived from Saudi Arabia four days ago went wild and allegedly beat to death two elderly women with a shovel in Barangay Montañeza, Malabuyoc, Cebu last Wednesday afternoon.

Suspect Cristobal Alaban, 31, was supposed to ask his girlfriend’s hand in marriage  tomorrow but he died yesterday morning.

While inside the detention cell, Alaban, had difficulty breathing and suddenly collapsed yesterday at past 11 a.m.

He was rushed to the Mariano Jesus Cuenco Memorial Hospital but was declared dead.

Police await the result of his autopsy. There were unconfirmed reports that Alaban was mauled by neighbors who saw him beat the elderly women before his arrest.

Alaban was arrested after killing his aunt, 64-year-old Salustiana Devilleres and their neighbor, 76-year-old Leonila Paro, at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday. He also held four other people captive before killing the victims.

Police did not discount the possibility that Alaban suffered from nervous breakdown.

“Nikalit ra siya og ingon-ana nga wala ma’y rason unta,” said SPO4 Ariel Mastardo, deputy chief of Malabuyoc Police Station. He added that the suspect’s relatives said he was a good person.

Prior to the incident, Ala-ban went to Sitio Siag, a hilly part of Barangay Montañeza, and asked for help from his friend Albert Catubig because he was not feeling well.

Albert and his wife Marilyn was reportedly boiling leaves of atis and guava for medication when Alaban suddenly threatened the couple as well as their parents and demanded that they not leave the house.

Those who were held captive found a way to escape and ran but Marilyn came back after seeing that the suspect destroyed their motorcycle. Alaban got hold of Marilyn and choked her, prompting his father-in-law to intervene and punched Alaban.

Marilyn then went to the Devilleres’ residence to inform them of the incident.

At this time, Paro passed by the area and without any reason, Alaban struck Paro in the head with a shovel several times until she died.

Devilleres immediately went and tried to calm Alaban down but she was also hit by the suspect. Neighbors helped by tying up Ala-ban.

The police were informed of the incident past 2:00 p.m.

Alaban was placed in the female detention cell as police feared he might harm the other detainees. Police tried to interview him but Alaban was unstable. A few minutes later, he collapsed.

Until now, the family of the suspect is puzzled why Alaban went wild since he did not tell anyone of any problem, and nobody sensed something was wrong since he arrived last July 8.  (FREEMAN)