By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A love triangle is believed to be the reason for the hacking to death of a man at Barangay Mansilingan here yesterday
Police identified the victim as Branel Casas, 44, of the said village.
Police Major Elmer Bonilla, head of Police Station 7, said Casas went to his former live-in partner’s house around 6 a.m. when he saw her having a coffee with the suspect identified as 73-year-old Wilfredo Sadaba.
Bonilla said Casas, who probably got jealous when they saw them together, looked for a hardwood and allegedly hit Sadaba on the back.
Sadaba fell to the ground but was able to crawl to a hut, where he took a cane cutter, Bonilla said.
Sadaba then allegedly hacked Casas several times, hitting his neck.
Bonilla said that Sadaba continued attacking Casas with the cane cutter even if the latter was already unconscious.
The commotion alarmed residents in the area prompting them to call for police assistance.
Bonilla said that Sadaba then allegedly dug a pit and buried Casas beside the hut, as shown in the video captured by their neighbor.
Sadaba then covered Casas’ body with garbage and fled.
Bonilla said Casas’s feet were jutting out of the hastily dug grave when police arrived.
“Indi man gid tama ka dalom ang gin hukay niya (Sadaba),” he added.
Bonilla said that it’s possible that Casas was already dead when he was buried.
Bonilla said Sadaba was later arrested and is now detained at the police station for the filing of murder charges.
Police recovered the weapons used in the crime.
He said that Casas and the 41-year-old woman had a relationship eight years ago, but they stayed as friends.
“Gakadto-kadto lang da siya bisita sa baye kuno,” the station commander added.
The woman also had a relationship with Sadaba two years ago but denied that they got back together.
He said the woman will stand as a witness in the incident.
