Family of 4 slain in Isabela

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines - A 31-year-old housewife, her two children aged 7 and 11, and a niece were stabbed dead in their home in a subdivision in Cauayan City, Isabela Wednesday night, authorities said.

In a related incident, four siblings were shot and wounded in their home in Imus, Cavite the other day.

Although police initially suspected robbery in the Isabela killing, investigators held for questioning a married tricycle driver, Angelito Ramos, 37, alleged to be a lover of slain housewife Anabel Bartolome.

It was Ramos who reported the killing to the police, saying he went to Bartolome’s house after plying his tricycle and found her, her children Niño, 11, and Ana Isabel, 7, and niece Jona Martinez, 13, dead with several stab wounds in the sala.

Ramos told police he discovered that jewelry and cash were missing from the room of Bartolome who owned a market stall.

Bartolome’s husband, Fidelino, reportedly left for Kuwait last week.

In Cavite, meanwhile, Salvacion Carpila, his brother, Roy, and sisters Juaquin, 9, and Jhelian Carpila, 3, sustained bullet wounds in the attack in their home in Barangay Pasong Buwaya, Imus town.

They are now confined at the Las Piñas City District Hospital.

A suspect, Marlon Camaña, 34, was arrested and tagged a certain Jonathan Saunar, a barangay tanod, as his alleged accomplice.

Police said family feud and personal grudge could have motivated the attack.  – With Ed Amoroso