VIRAC, Catanduanes – A mother of five was allegedly beaten to death by her partner while two of their children are in critical condition at a hospital in Barangay Francia here after they were also attacked by their father.
The suspect, Joevenal Delos Santos, was also wounded after he was shot by responding policemen whom he tried to attack. Aside from Delos Santos, also wounded were the couple’s two children – Cherry, 9, and Angelica, 1.
The fatality was identified as Marisol S. Vargas.
Marjorie, one of the couple’s children, said she was outside playing with her friends when she heard a commotion inside their house while she was playing with her friends. She tried to check the commotion but her father prevented her from entering the house. This prompted her to seek the help of their neighbors, who sought police assistance.
Maj Antonio I. Perez, the town Chief of Police, said they received a call from a concerned citizen informing them of a commotion inside a house in the barangay.
Patrolling policemen near the area immediately responded and saw Delos Santos carrying what appears to be a pointed object while the victims are seen through the door lying on the floor.
Introducing themselves as police officers, they told Delos Santos to drop his weapon and surrender but the suspect instead ran toward them and tried attacking the lawmen. This forced the police officers to shoot the suspect.
Responding personnel of Catanduanes Red Cross and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office immediately took Cherry, Angelica, and Joevenal to the Mary Immaculate Hospital where they are all in critical condition according to attending physician, Dr. Ef Clarianes. Marisol was taken to the Eastern Bicol Medical Center where she was declared dead on arrival by Dr. Louie Panti.
Vincent, 12, another child who was also spared from the beating, told Manila Bulletin that he and his brother Vinzon were on their way home for dinner when they saw their father carrying a piece of hard wood (dos por dos).
Upon entering their house, the two brothers saw their mother, and their two sisters – Cherry and Angelica – lying on the floor.
Thinking they were just asleep, Vincent tried to wake up his mother. To his surprise, he saw blood oozing from her mother’s head. Their father warned the two brothers not to cry or else they would suffer the same fate.
When their father went out of the house, Vincent carried his youngest sister Angelica and sought cover under a table in one of the corners of their house.
“Pagluwas ni Papa... Nadanggog mi na sana ang putok, tapos naglaog na su mga nagkua kina Mama (When our father went out... We t heard a gunshot, then people went inside and took our siblings and mother),” the brother said.
Meanwhile, the family of Marisol said that after Super-typhoon “Rolly” hit Catanduanes, the suspect started to show signs of depression.
Armando, brother of Marisol, also noticed that after the typhoon, Joevenal seems to be afraid of people.
The observation was supported by Vincent and Marjorie.