Robbers stab woman, granddaughter dead

CEBU, Philippines - An elderly woman and her granddaughter were found dead in a pool of blood after being stabbed dead by two suspects who also made off with their money last Sunday evening in Sitio Bagong Lipunan, Barangay Kabangbang, Bantayan Island.

The bodies of Patricia Desamparado Batoy, 74, and Angelica Pasilaban, nine years old, were found around 5:30 a.m. Monday by their neighbors who checked the house upon seeing bloodstains at the doorstep.

Batoy had 14 stab wounds in different parts of her body while Pasilaban had six based on the autopsy conducted by Dr. James Nicholas Najarro, of the Bantayan District Hospital.

Police arrested charcoal makers, Ruben Tabion, 20, a resident of the said place; and Romel de la Peña, 21, of Sitio Vito, Barangay Kangka-ibe during a hot pursuit operation a few hours later.

De la Peña was arrested at the Bantayan wharf in Barangay Suba waiting for the departure of M/V Christina bound for Estancia, Negros Occidental, together with Tabion's live-in partner, Linda Taytayan, who is four months pregnant.

Tabion was arrested by the police in Sitio Tangke, Barangay Ticad, past noon as he was having a wound treated.

Tabion was said to have been injured in a struggle with Batoy before he killed her.

Police recovered P4,000 cash in different denominations and a white box containing a gold ring and an eight-inch knife used by the suspects in stabbing the victims.

The suspects are now detained at the Bantayan police stockade while a case for robbery with double homicide is being prepared against them.

Homicide investigator PO2 Lou Susvilla said prior to the incident both suspects were seen buying a bottle of liquor at the store of Batoy, who is also into usury.   Moment later, neighbors heard dogs barking at the house but none of them bothered to check outside.

Police said the suspects climbed the perimeter fence of the house. Once inside, they then destroyed the door knob of the main door.

Susvilla said Batoy may have woken up at this point and tried to fight them off prompting the suspects to stab her.

"Duna ma'y samad si Tabion sa right hand posible tungod sa scuffle unya ang aparador nakay-ag na," he said in a phone interview.

Susvilla surmised that Pasilaban woke up and shouted for help which forced the suspects to kill her also.

Sr. Insp. Ildefonso Miranda, Bantayan police chief, said that Tabion and de la Peña were noted robbers and are also members of a robbery group which the police are now investigating.  Four of the group's members have already been identified.

Miranda added that suspects were also caught stealing from the store of Batoy a few years back, however, there was no case filed as they decided to settle the matter at the barangay hall.

Police have yet to check their records if suspects have previous cases filed in court. —(FREEMAN)