A 16-year-old boy was arrested by police for allegedly robbing a woman and stabbing her 34 times inside her home in Sierra Bullones town at dawn on Sunday.
According to Staff Sgt. Lovely Butol of the Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Sierra Bullones Police Station, Mark (not his real name) broke into the house of the victim, his next-door neighbor in Barangay Canlangit at around 5 a.m.
Mary Knoll Malubay, who was alone inside her home, was awoken as Mark broke into her house and stole cash leading to a confrontation between the two.
Mark then stabbed Malubay multiple times but she was still able to scream for help prompting her neighbors to alert the police.
“Nakapanagang pa ang biktima mura’g naglayog gyud ni sila kay nakasukol pa man unya nakashagit ang biktima,” said Butol.
Neighbors of the victim surrounded her house preventing Mark from fleeing until the authorities arrived to arrest him.
Based on the police’s initial investigation, cash allegedly belonging to the victim was found in Mark’s possession.
Butol said Mark was known to be close to the victim’s family.
He had knowledge that she was in possession of cash as she was a treasurer for a barangay association (kapunongan).
Mark has been turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) while Malubay was still being treated for injuries at the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City.
“Pag interview niya with the DSWD wala kuno siyay intention na ingadtuon niya ang biktima kay iyang intention is pag pangawat lang pero nakuratan man kuno siya na naay taw sa balay mao na-rattle siya,” said Butol,” Butol said.
Meanwhile, the WCPD is set to file a robbery with frustrated homicide charge against Mark.
The DSWD will be submitting a determination if the suspect acted with discernment or not.
If found guilty in court and proven to have acted with discernment, Mark, a grade 10 student at a local high school, will be placed under a suspended sentence.
However, if a minor aged between 15 and 18 is proven to have not acted with discernment, he will be exempt from criminal liability, but his parents or guardians will still be civilly liable for the crime committed. (AD)