• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
A 39-year-old driver was hacked to death by his stepfather in broad daylight due to a dispute over property boundaries at Purok Palangga, Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Monday.
The victim was identified as alias “Edcel,” 39, while the suspect was his stepfather named as alias “Delmar,” 50, and a farmer. Both were residents of the barangay.
Based on the initial investigation by Kabankalan Component City Police Station, based on the sworn statement by the victim’s mother, alias “Medicilla,” the night before the incident, her son arrived home from work and chopped off the bamboo fence made by his stepfather along his pathway going to their residence.
When his stepfather arrived at their house and discovered that his fence had been cut, he confronted his wife and asked who was responsible. His wife informed him that the victim had cut the fence because it obstructed the pathway toward his home. The suspect then became angry and left their residence.
The next morning, “Medicilla” was helping her sister prepare food for breakfast when she saw the suspect, bloodied and holding a bladed weapon, walking toward the Barangay Health Center.
Out of fear, she immediately went home and saw her son lying lifeless on the ground, soaked with blood. Police photos showed that the victim sustained a deep wound on the neck, which resulted in his death.
Upon the arrival of the authorities, the victim and the suspect were immediately brought to Kabankalan District Hospital, where the victim was declared dead upon arrival. The suspect, who also sustained wounds, is now under medical treatment.
Police recovered the approximately 12-inch-long bladed weapon used by the suspect in the crime.
The cadaver of the victim was turned over to Lisa’s Funeral Homes for post-mortem examination.*
