Pa hacks 4-year-old son to death

Police cordon off the house in Barangay Camingawan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, where a four-year-old boy was hacked dead by his father at home on Friday, December 22. (Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office)

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Parricide charges were filed on Saturday, December 23, against a 48-year-old man for allegedly killing his four-year-old son at home in Barangay Camingawan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental last Friday.

The names of the victim and the suspect were withheld.

Police Lieutenant Colonel John Joel Batusbatusan, city police chief, said the suspect and his three children were having lunch when he suddenly grabbed the victim without any provocation.

The suspect then took a bolo and hacked the victim, while his two other children ran to hide.

The suspect was arrested by barangay watchmen with the assistance of barangay officials at their house. Police recovered the weapon used in the incident.

This incident happened two years after the suspect hammered his wife to death due to jealousy.

But the suspect was released from jail at that time due to the non-appearance of witnesses, who are his family members, according to Batusbatusan.

The police chief said the family did not disclose to the police if the suspect was suffering from a psychological problem.

Batusbatusan said the suspect knew the crime he committed, but he could not tell authorities the reason for doing it.