Man goes amuck at brother's wake

MANILA, Philippines - A laborer reportedly ran amuck and stabbed his aunt and cousin, who allegedly pressured him to contribute “abuloy” or money for the wake of his brother, in Caloocan City Wednesday night.

Raym Morales, 33, was arrested for attacking his aunt Nelly Balahillo, 59, and cousin Myra Balahillo, 20, both residents of Barangay 8 in Dagat-Dagatan.

Nelly sustained a stab wound in the chest and remains in critical condition at the Tondo Medical Center while Myra was already declared out of danger for a knife wound in the stomach. The kitchen knife was still embedded in Nelly’s chest when she arrived at the hospital.

Teofilo Estuesta, an officer in Barangay 8, said Morales went wild for no apparent reason while attending the wake of his brother at the victims’ house at Block 57, Lot 13 F-2 at around 6:15 p.m.

“According to the suspect’s relatives, he went to the kitchen to drink water but suddenly grabbed a knife and attacked them,” Estuesta told The STAR.

He said after stabbing his two relatives, Morales took his three-year-old nephew hostage when he was about to be cornered by residents.

“He warned that he would smash the boy’s head on the concrete fence as the mob started to close in on him. He used the kid as a shield until police arrived and convinced him to surrender,” Estuesta said.

Estuesta said Morales told him his relatives were angry with him for his failure to donate money for the wake of his brother “so he attacked them first, purportedly to defend himself.”

Asked whether Morales could be suffering from any psychological problem, Estuesta said Morales answered questions in a “straightforward” manner.

Estuesta said Morales was detained at the Caloocan City police detention cell pending the filing of attempted and frustrated murder charges.