Child dead, 2 hurt in Lamitan City machete attack

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A man is now in police custody for having killed a three-year-old child and hurting two others during a machete attack late Thursday in a secluded barangay in Lamitan City.

Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters here Friday Bonie Tandi Erang, 27, is now detained at the Lamitan City Police Station.

Erang was arrested four hours after the incident by policemen and barangay tanods.

The Lamitan City police force and community leaders in Barangay Balagtasan filed murder and two counts of frustrated murder cases against Erang by noontime Friday.

Nobleza, citing a report from Lt. Col. Arlan Delumpines, Lamitan City police chief, said Erang barged into the house of the victims in Barangay Balagtasan at past 8:00 p.m. and attacked the victims with a machete, killing a girl named Sanaya Sabdalun Anjal.

The child’s mother, Linda Sabdalun Anjal, 23, and 51-year-old grandmother, also named Linda, were badly hurt in the attack.

Nobleza said Erang tried to escape but was cornered in another barangay in Lamitan City by pursuing community leaders, barangay tanods and local police.