Wife, witnesses to have debriefing

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 will subject those who witnessed the stabbing to death of three children and their grandmother in Catmon town to a psychological intervention.

Grace Yana, social welfare officer IV, said that the incident can cause trauma-tic experience to the relatives or neighbors who were around when Eric Figues stabbed his children and mother-in-law dead before he committed suicide.

“Atong apilon katong mga nakakita, i-debrief nato sila,” said Yana.

Figues’ wife, who was at work in Lapu-Lapu City when the incident happened, will also undergo the same debriefing from DSWD.

According to Thelma Arañas of the Cebu Provincial Council for Women and Children, the bloody killing perpetrated by Figues, who was allegedly a drug user, will create awareness among residents of the community to be vigilant against such dangerous persons.

 “Tungod sa hitabo, kung dunay ingon ani, mas dali na nila ma-report sa barangay as the front liner sa lugar. Mas aware na sila karon,” she said.

The incident could also serve as an eye-opener to women who are married to drug users to make a move while still early.

Arañas said that for Figues’ wife, she supposedly had the right to take all her children from her husband’s custody if she knew of his illegal activities.

Eric stabbed dead his children Stephanie, 6, John Eric, 4, Ericka, 1, and mother-in-law Imelda Molat, 47, inside their house in Barangay Panalipan while they were celebrating the eldest daughter’s birthday.

The suspect then turned the knife on himself.

Figues reportedly just returned home from a construction job in Bohol. He once served as a bus fare collector but was fired from the job for alleged frequent hallucination while inside the bus. — (FREEMAN)