Massacre of family justified?

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Ecija — "He must have had good reasons to do this." Thus said the sister of Danilo Afalla when asked about her younger brother’s being linked to the slaying of his own wife and three children.

Although doubtful of her brother’s involvement in the gruesome killing, Belinda Afalla averred that the perpetrator must have had good reasons to commit the crime.

According to rumors here, the suspect’s wife was allegedly having an affair with another man and that their youngest son was the fruit of this illicit affair. This rumor, investigators opined, apparently drove Danilo, a seaman who hails from this town, to commit the crime.

"Such a barbaric act could only be done by someone crazy, on drugs or in extreme jealousy," Chief Insp. Narciso Verdadero, provincial PNP intelligence officer, said.

The decomsing bodies of Danilo’s 40-year old wife, Recy and his children, Chinee Claire, 13; Mark Anthony, 11; and Michael Angelo, 5, were found in a shallow grave along the Magat river here last April 18.

Police and National Bureau of Investigation agents said they were dead about three to four days before they were dug up. The victims were severely beaten with the youngest the most affected, having a crushed skull.

Three days before the bodies were discovered, the suspect visited his high school friend Mario Santos with his newly bought green Mitsubishi Adventure van. Santos told investigators that Afalla confided to him that he was being affected by rumors of his wife’s affair with another man. This also made him doubt if his youngest son was really his, Santos said.

Danilo was able to slip out for Germany, on his way via another flight to Miami, Florida, USA where his ship was docked. Investigators only learned about the flight from Danilo’s mother, Modesta, when she was invited to identify the victims about five hours before he left the country at around 10:30 p.m. last April 19.

Verdadero said that they are now coordinating with the Miami authorities and the Interpol to bring Danilo back to the country.

Recy’s brother Eddie Panopio said that Danilo had a record of psychiatric problems and spent four months in a mental institution. According to him, his brother-in-law had told him he had been encountering problems on the ship and that he suspected his shipmates of spiking his coffee with cocaine. — Charlie Lagasca