‘Mentally-ill woman’ kills sister, injures brother

A police officer and a rescuer check on the two victims of a hacking incident in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Kabankalan City Police Station)

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A senior citizen died while her younger brother was injured after they were hacked by their sibling at Sitio Cadiacap A, Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental last Tuesday.

Police identified the fatality as Elisa Tabujara, 72 while the wounded victim was Herman Nabaja, 55.

Police Lieutenant Dennis Melgarejo, deputy police chief of Kabankalan City Police Station, said the 58-year-old suspect, whose name was withheld, entered Tabujara’s house early that day and suddenly attacked the latter with a bolo while she was preparing to cook rice.

Tabujara shouted for help, prompting Nabaja to respond, but he was also hacked by the suspect who resided near the victims, Melgarejo said.

Tabujara succumbed to hack wounds in her head, right shoulder, and back, while Nabaja is confined at a hospital after suffering hack wounds in the head and left arm.

Policemen talk to the family members of two persons who were hacked by their sibling, killing one in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Kabankalan City Police Station)

Melgarejo said there was no commotion or argument that happened among the siblings that day.

The family told the police that the suspect was not able to sleep for about two days, and had not taken her medicine.

The suspect has been suffering from a mental illness for five years now but this was the first time she went violent, Melgarejo said.

Melgarejo said the suspect is now in the custody of her daughter, as no charges could be filed against her due to her medical condition.