Barangay chief beaten to death by grandsons

A 57-year-old barangay chairman was killed by his own grandchildren, who attacked him for running to the aid of a neighbor they allegedly tried to extort money from last Sunday night in Valenzuela City.

Superintendent Billy Beltran, city police chief, identified the victim as Edmundo Morelos, chairman of Barangay Isla.

Morelos was rushed to the Polo General Hospital for treatment, but died along the way.

Beltran said there were reports the barangay chief also suffered a heart a failure during the attack, but this could not be immediately confirmed.

Autopsy results that will determine the cause of death will be known today , Beltran said.

SPO2 Jess Saguisi, case investigator, said Morelos was allegedly ganged upon by brothers Bryan, 26 and Bernard, 25, both surnamed Morelos. They are residents of the Morelos Compound in Barangay Isla, Valenzuela City.

Bryan was later collared by police on information by a relative, Michael Calonzo, at the Lacson building on Gov. I. Santiago street in Barangay Malinta.

His brother remains at large.

Police said the suspects, sons of the barangay chairman’s son identified only as "Boy," were described by residents as habitual drug users and neighborhood toughies.

Prior to the incident, Marivic Ranada, a neighbor of the Morelos, sought the elder Morelos’ assistance and reported the two were allegedly extorting money from her for unspecified reasons.

Morelos, apparently trying to prove that the law must be applied equally and above everyone including his own relatives, accompanied the complainant and went to the suspects’ house to confront the two brothers.

The suspects’ mother, Erlinda, allegedly intervened for her sons, promising his father-in-law they would sort out the matter with Ranada.

Soon after, the older Morelos left the house and stopped by a sari-sari store.

The two suspects, coming from an alley nearby, suddenly appeared and began punching and kicking the old man.

The suspects fled as more people, attracted by the commotion, rushed to the scene.

Saguisi said murder charges are being prepared against the suspects for inquest today at the City Prosecutors’ Office.

Son strangles mom

In Mandaluyong City, police arrested last Sunday a 28-year-old jobless man for strangling to death his mother after she refused to lend him P50,000.

Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief, said suspect Anthony Domingo admitted strangling her mother, Dolores, 56, using an electrical cord inside their house at 303 De Leon street in Barangay New Zaniga.

Velasquez said their neighbor, Nicanor Solomon, discovered the mother’s body inside their house at 11 a.m. last Sunday.

"Nakatali pa sa leeg niya ang kable ng VCD player na itinali rin sa kanyang mga paa nang makita ng kapitbahay," Velasquez said.

When investigator PO3 Robert Eugenio arrived, they saw the son at one corner of the house crying like a baby. He had several scratches on his arms.

Instead of answering Eugenio, the son tried to escape by running outside the house.

He was cornered after a brief chase.

At police headquarters, the son owned up to the killing.

He said he strangled her mother following a heated argument. She had refused to lend him P50,000 to start a small business.

Velasquez is readying parricide charges against Domingo, who is currently detained at the Mandalyong City detention center. – With Pete Laude, Non Alquitran