By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A female teenager was stabbed to death by a male teenager who reportedly attempted to rape her in a sugarcane field at Barangay Mabini, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental last Saturday.
Police withheld the name of the 14-year-old victim and the 19-year-old suspect.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mansueto, city police chief, said the victim was on her way home around 10 a.m. after she was asked by her sister to charge a cellular phone when an unidentified man waylaid and dragged her into the sugarcane plantation.
Mansueto said the man, who was later identified and considered a suspect, attempted to sexually abuse the minor-victim, but the latter fought back, and shouted for help which was heard by some persons walking nearby.
This prompted the suspect to allegedly stab the victim four times on her body and chest, the police chief added.
The suspect then fled bringing with him the bladed weapon he used in the crime.
Police recovered from the scene the suspect’s face mask. The victim was declared dead at a hospital.
Mansueto said signs of struggle were visible on the victim’s body when she tried to escape from the suspect.
He said the suspect may have liked the victim, which prompted him to commit the crime.
He said they held the suspect for investigation but was later released since they need stronger evidence to confirm his involvement in the crime.
“We have witnesses but their statements can only be considered as circumstantial evidence,” he added.
