By Jennifer P. Rendon
Police have yet to determine the motive of more than 10 persons to destroy and cause dread to a family of four in Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
According to reports, the couple, who asked not to be named, was with their two adult twin children when the attack happened around 11:30 p.m. on June 20.
The attackers, some of whom were armed, banged and kicked their gate.
Others struck heavy objects on their wooden wall which resulted in a hole.
The men also destroyed what used to be a store owned by the victims.
The suspects also destroyed the victims’ jalousie window.
They then heard someone said, “Ti ano, pamatyon ta na lang ni sila (Shall we kill them)?”
The incident was over in less than 3 minutes.
The men then left without attempting to get inside the house.
Reports said that the group returned around 2 a.m. Wednesday but they just circled the area.
Despite what happened, the family did not report the incident to the police or to barangay officials.
Captain Val Alan Cambel, Iloilo City Police Station 5 chief, said they only learned about what happened several hours later.
“I was only informed by a friend who lives in the area,” he said.
Had anyone informed the police, Cambel said they could have responded immediately since they were doing a roving patrol near Bakhaw village at that time.
During a follow-up investigation, the family’s neighbors claimed to have not heard of any noise.
They told the police that they were inside the room at the time of the attack.
At the onset, Cambel said there is nothing in the family’s background that would merit an attack.
Melba, the wife, owns a store in the nearby Barangay Desamparados while her husband is a taxi driver.
The family has not been involved in any infraction of the law or has any record of misdeeds.
The couple rarely stays at home since both are working.
It was gathered that the couple bought the house from an alleged drug personality some eight years ago.
But the area is far from being considered a drug den.
“Given the circumstances, we could surmise that it might be something personal,” Cambel said.
Based on Melba’s narration, the group had no intention to kill them but only to threaten them.
Meanwhile, Melba claimed that her family would no longer sleep at their home following the incident.
