Man kills wife, gets shot by police

CEBU, Philippines - A 34- year-old man allegedly stabbed his wife to death then landed in hospital after he was shot by a responding policeman last Friday.

Antonio Batoctoy alias Onie, stabbed his wife, Maria, 35, in their own home in Barangay Consolacion, Dalaguete using a kitchen knife at around 9 p.m. on Friday, then set fire to their personal belongings inside their home.

According to Police Officer 1 Ariel Cordova of Dalaguete Police Station, Police Officer 3 Maximo Belciña, who happened to live near the victims, immediately responded after neighbors called to him for help.

Upon arrival at the crime scene, Belciña spotted Maria lying on the floor and had stab wounds.

Belciña introduced himself to Batoctoy as a policeman, but the latter then allegedly attacked him with a kitchen knife, leading him to use his service .9mm caliber pistol.

Batoctoy sustained two gunshot wounds, one to his left shoulder and the other just above his buttocks, and was brought to Julio Cardinal Rosales Memorial Hospital. He was later transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for further treatment.

Maria was brought to Dr. Ildefonso Alcantara Memorial Hospital in Poblacion, Dalaguete but the attending physician declared her dead on arrival.

Cordova said Maria was sleeping beside their children when Antonio, who was watching TV, suddenly stabbed her multiple times in different parts of her body.

Batoctoy then set fire to their belongings, but the children of the couple aged 2 to 13 years old managed to stop it.

The responding police led by Senior Police Officer 3 Cleto Pia, were able to recover two pieces of empty shells from a firearm of unknown caliber, two canisters of butane, one piece of disposable lighter, and one kitchen knife.

Based on investigation, Cordova said Antonio was allegedly involved in illegal drug activities and was allegedly sniffing shabu a few days before the incident.

He added the neighbors of Antonio alleged that he had a nervous breakdown due to his illegal drug use.

All five of the couple's children are currently in the care of Maria's parents. (FREEMAN)