CEBU, Philippines – A man was found dead while his son impaired his sight after being allegedly hammered by their co-worker at a construction site on the national highway in Barangay Pakigne, Minglanilla town.
Ronaldo Montaner, 52, of A. Lopez Street, Cebu City, was pronounced dead at the hospital owing to severe head wounds.
His 17-year-old son, however, survived the incident but was seriously injured and became totally blind.
Senior Police Officer 1 Romeo Barde said both Montaner and his son were sleeping at the construction site around 1 a.m. Wednesday when alleged suspect, Antonio “Tonyo” Catipay, of legal age, of Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, just reportedly battered Montaner’s head several times until he went unconscious.
Barde said when Montaner’s son woke up, he was also attacked by the suspect. Another worker who came to the site early that morning noticed the gate was already open and found the two victims.
The victims were rushed to Minglanilla District Hospital but were later transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
The police believed that the suspect’s murder weapon was a hammer because of the marks on their heads. Barde said the suspect’s motive could be work-related.
Catipay remains at large but will still be charged with murder and frustrated murder. — Reinhard Julius O. Buhia, USJ-R Intern (FREEMAN)