Family of 5 massacred in San Pablo City

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – A couple and three of their children, including a two-month-old daughter, were killed while another child was wounded when a drunk neighbor attacked them with a scythe while asleep in San Pablo City, Laguna Wednesday night, police said.

Superintendent Ferdinand de Castro, San Pablo City police chief, identified the fatalities as Bay Rendon, 40, and his wife Maricel, 24, and their children Jay-Em, 7; Jomari, 5; and Marijoy, two months old.

The Rendons’ eldest child, eight-year-old Margie, survived the attack with a hack wound in the left chest. She pretended to be dead, and ran away and sought help when the suspects fled the scene.

Reports said the Rendons were fast asleep in their home in Purok 1, Barangay Sta. Felomina when suspect Ernie Tambuong, 19, barged in with a “karit (scythe)” and hacked them repeatedly at around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Prior to the incident, Rendon and Tambuong had a drinking session near the former’s house and a verbal tussle ensued between them.

De Castro quoted Tambuong as saying that Rendon had tagged him as the one who killed his horse and hurled threats at him, even telling him to return to Bicol where he hails from.

The surviving Rendon child, who was rushed to the provincial hospital, identified Tambuong as their attacker.

De Castro said his men arrested Tambuong and his father Elmor, 48, as they were about to leave their house in Barangay Sta. Felomina at around 12:30 a.m. yesterday.

– Arnell Ozaeta, Ed Amoroso