Love-struck lesbian kills rival, tries to commit suicide

A love-smitten lesbian stabbed dead her rival in a fit of rage then tried to commit suicide by stabbing herself past midnight yesterday in Valenzuela City.

Police said Emelita Bernabe, a resident of Barangay Paso de Blas in Valenzuela, is now in critical condition at the Fatima Hospital due to self-inflicted wounds in the body.

Bernabe’s alleged rival, Joan Otero, also of Valenzuela City, succumbed to stab wounds in the stomach and at the back while being treated at the same hospital at around 5:20 a.m.

Elma Elam, 24, a shopping mall saleslady and the object of affection of Bernabe and Otero, told the police that the incident occurred just outside their house at around 12:30 a.m.

Elam said that at about 11:30 p.m., Bernabe and Otero both fetched her at the shopping mall where she was working and accompanied her home.

Elam told police that she had just ended her relationship with Bernabe, a former co-employee but the latter kept on wooing her back. Otero was a new friend.

On their way home, the two lesbians engaged in a heated argument after Otero confronted Bernabe for reportedly beating Elam earlier in the day out of jealousy.

But Bernabe, armed with a knife, allegedly attacked Otero and stabbed her in the stomach and at the back.

When Otero fell bloodied on the pavement, Bernabe, bewildered, also stabbed herself twice.

Both were rushed for treatment to the Fatima Hospital where Otero later died. Bernabe remains in critical condition as of noon yesterday.

Valenzuela City police Women and Children’s Protection Desk chief, Inspector Ester Casanova, was still conducting yesterday a deeper investigation into the case.