Old woman stabbed dead

CEBU, Philippines - A 72-year-old woman was stabbed dead by a man who tried to rob her even after she lent him money in Sitio Lamac, Barangay Tayud, Liloan town, early morning last Monday.

Martina Quinaging Jalang no longer made it alive to the hospital after she was allegedly stabbed by Jover Berdida, 31, of Barangay Cagbatang, Cataingan, Liloan.

Despite several stab wounds in her chest and abdomen, Jalang still managed to call for help to her daughter, Elvira Jalang Bracero, 45, whose house was just a few meters away from hers.

Jalang was taken to the Liloan Health Center where she was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

She has been stabbed four times in the chest and thrice in the abdomen.

Berdida was arrested during a hot pursuit operation in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, where he was temporarily living, shortly before noon of the same day.

He is now detained at the Liloan police stockade while a case for attempted robbery with homicide was filed against him before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

According to Bracero, she was cooking breakfast early morning when she heard her mother shouting for help.  When she checked, Bracero found Jalang bleeding.

“Ako gyud nadunggan nagsiyagit na siya og ‘tulis tabang gidunggab ko… gidunggab ko!’” Bracero told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

Bracero added that she saw Berdida, a former employee of a shell export company, running away from the house.

Police recovered a knife and a pair of black Sandugo slippers from the crime scene.

Bracero said Berdida owed around P500 to Jalang who owned a sari-sari store near the shell export company.

Jalang allegedly asked for payment which irked Berdida and led him to try and rob her. 

Liloan police chief Insp. Leo Ty said the suspect may have attacked her when the robbery went awry and Jalang fought back.

“Tulison gyud unta ni unya nisukol man maong napatay,” Ty said in a phone interview.  –(FREEMAN)