Carpenter gets 36-year jail term for failed arson, bolo attacks on 3 kids

For trying to burn their house and seriously wounding his three children, including a daughter who had accused him of raping her eight years ago, a carpenter was sentenced to 36 years in jail yesterday.

Antipolo City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Mauricio Rivera found Constancio Canadas guilty of three counts of frustrated parricide, giving more weight to the testimonies of the convict’s son Arnel and two daughters than to his denial and alibis.

Court records show that Canadas arrived at their residence in Barangay San Roque on the night of March 21,1994 apparently to reconcile with his family after his daughter Ana (not her real name) accused him of raping her inside the Anito Lodge in Manila. Canadas left their house three months earlier.

However, when Arnel refused to accept him back, Canadas grabbed a container of gasoline and poured it all over their house.

Arnel grabbed the container from his father but the latter took hold of a bolo and hacked his son in different parts of the body. When Arnel fell on the floor bleeding, Canadas turned his ire on his two daughters and also hacked them.

Neighbors, alerted by the shouts for help of the three victims, ran after Canadas and managed to disarm him.

Canadas had denied all the charges, testifying that he left home because of shame after his neighbors got wind of the incestuous relationship between Arnel and Ana. He said he came back to confront the two.

He claimed that a heated argument ensued and his two daughters attacked him with a pair of scissors and a piece of wood, prompting him to grab a bolo to defend himself.

He further claimed that he accidentally hit Arnel to prevent his two daughters from coming near him.

However, Rivera said Canadas failed to explain how he managed to get hold of the container of gasoline and where it came from.

The judge added that the injuries suffered by the three victims negated Canadas’ testimony.