Junkie kills mother over sale of TV set

Police arrested yesterday a 30-year-old suspected drug addict who allegedly bludgeoned his own mother and then stuffed her inside a plastic drum, leaving it in a residential area in Balintawak, Quezon City – all because she refused to sell their TV set.

Suspect Armando Rasol, of F-135 Selda Sampaguita, Purok 1, Barangay San Roque, is now detained at the Central Police District headquarters facing charges of parricide.

The decomposing body of the victim, identified as Erlinda Culsai, 60, widow, was found inside a plastic drum along Oliveros Drive in Barangay Apolonio Samson, last Sunday.

Rasol, who was under the influence of drugs when he was arrested near his home in Barangay San Roque, admitted killing his mother after she refused to sell their television set.

According to SPO1 Efren Sobrepena, the suspect must have needed the money to buy drugs. He said that the incident took place on March 29 at about 12 p.m. inside their house.

Rasol suggested to the victim that they sell their TV set so he could buy "things I need." But Culsai refused and a heated argument ensued. The suspect then choked his mother and hit her on the head several times with a wooden club.

The suspect then placed her in a plastic drum, filling it with pillows, clothes and blankets, before carrying it to his pedicab and driving it all the way from their house to EDSA.

After that, he hailed an FX taxi, still carrying the drum, and rode up to Oliveros Drive in Balintawak. He immediately fled the scene after he left the drum at one of the houses.

Rasol showed remorse for what he did, but said it was partly his mother‘s fault. He added that if the victim had agreed to sell their TV set, "things would have been different." – Matthew Estabillo