Deranged man kills 10, hurts 16

A man on a drunken rampage hacked to death at least 10 people – mostly children – and wounded 16 others before dawn yesterday in a remote village in Calbayog City, Samar.

Suspect Danilo Guades, 39, reportedly mentally ill and a known troublemaker in the community, barged into four houses in Barangya Gadgaran at around 2 a.m. and hacked the victims with a bolo. Most of the victims were members of the same families and were asleep when attacked. There was a funeral wake in one of the houses.

The fatalities were identified as Gemma Jadulco, 32, and her children Jennylyn, 12; Jingoy, 8; Renato, 3; Nadene, 2; and one-year-old Cristine. But reports from the Philippine National Police named a fifth Jadulco fatality, 11-year-old Celine.

The other victims were Candido Conteras, 46; Edgardo Lecis 35; and Erick Ponce, 7; and Benjamin Ponce, 42. The victims were pronounced dead on arrival at St. Camillius Hospital.

Wounded in the attack were Benjie Ponce, 5; Marilyn Ponce, 3; Joan Jadulco, 4; Jocelyn Jadulco, 9; Danilo Conteras, 12; Jennylyn Conteras, 14; Michael Caber, 3; Emily Guades, cousin of the suspect; Manria Conteras, 37; Enis Lecis, 54; Francisco Ramada, 56; Ernesto Ramada, 45; Armando Ramada, 35; Myra Manlapid, 24; and couple Eddie and Jocelyn Gonzaga.

Except for Eddie and Jocelyn Gonzaga, all the victims were attacked in their houses.

The suspect pounced on the Gonzaga couple, who were on a motorcycle at a nearby junction.

Chief Superintendent Abner Cabalquinto, Eastern Visayas police regional police director, said the wounded were rushed to St. Camillius and Sanitarium hospitals in Calbayog City.

Chief Inspector Aniceto Tebobolan, Calbayog police chief, said Guades surrendered and turned over the murder weapon to Fortunato Burbana, also a resident of Barangay Gadgaran. Investigators have yet to determine the motive of the attack.

Initial investigation showed that the suspect, a widower, first attacked his cousin Emily in the house that she also shared with Guades and other relatives. Despite her head wound, Emily was able to run out of the house.

The suspect then barged into the house of the Jadulcos where he again went on a hacking spree. The Jadulcos died on the spot.

After attacking the Jadulcos, Guades went to another house and killed its owner, Candido Conteras. The suspect then ran to a house where a wake was being held and attacked the Ramadas, Caber and Manlapid.

As the people were about to gang up on him, Guades fled immediately but later gave himself up to Burbana.

Guades is detained at the Calbayog City police jail. Police said they are probing deeper into the case to determine what charges to file against him. – With Jaime Laude