Man kills sons, self over wife's affair

MANILA, Philippines - A man shot dead his two sons before killing himself in their house in Quezon City before dawn yesterday, reportedly after finding out his wife had an affair.

Case investigator Police Officer 2 Rodel Tumangday said that at past 3 a.m., Napoleon Merdieta, 37, used an unlicensed 9mm handgun to shoot his sons Francis Nick, 11, and Reyneil Pola, 15, as they were sleeping in the living room of their house in Maligaya Park, Barangay Pasong Putik.

Napoleon then shot himself behind the left ear. Tumangday said the boys were shot in the neck. All three died on the spot but were still rushed by relatives to FEU Hospital.

Chief Inspector Benjamin Elenzano, head of the Homicide Investigation Section of the Quezon City Police District, said the killing happened a week after Napoleon had a fight with his wife, who admitted she had an extramarital affair.

Elenzano said that before the shooting, Napoleon sent a text message to one of his relatives: “I’m sorry my Lord, I failed your trials, I can’t suffer the same pain so I’m taking them with me to the other side. Paalam (Goodbye).”

The relative sent several text messages, asking Napoleon what was wrong, but the latter did not respond. The relative and four others rushed to the house to check on him.

As his relatives knocked on the door of Napoleon’s house, they said they overheard him telling his wife to open the door. As she did so, they heard gunshots. Napoleon’s wife and relatives found he had shot his sons and himself.

Another relative told police Napoleon confided that his wife, who works as a telemarketer, admitted she had an affair with an officemate. Napoleon himself was unemployed but his last job was as a call center agent.

Napoleon reportedly read text messages on his wife’s mobile phone and eventually confronted her about it. The wife was forced to admit the affair. Elenzano said the wife allegedly had another affair two years ago.