Two-year-old boy survives 11 stab wounds from attacker

Palompon, Leyte – A two-year-old boy survived 11 stab wounds in different parts of his body after he was taken hostage at the local terminal here past 5 a.m. Sunday.

Doctors of the Ormoc  Sugarcane Planters Association Family Medical Center where the victim underwent an operation listed the victim in critical condition.

Police Inspector Judito Cinco, PNP chief of this town identified the victim as Jef­ferson Esmero y Oliraida, a resident of Barangay Handu­manan, Bacolod City.

The suspect was identified as Fernando Palad y Malazar­te, 35, married of Barangay Basud, San Isidro, Leyte. 

Cinco told The Star that the victim, with his father Joel, 35; and elder sister Aina Jobelle were in town to attend a family reunion in Barangay San Miguel slated on May 30.

Aina Jobelle in an interview said they had just embarked from a ship coming from Cebu  City and were at the terminal taking brunch when an unidentified man grabbed her younger brother from her. Aina Jobelle said the suspected man held her brother, pulled out a knife and pointed this into her brother.

She said the suspect started to stab her brother in different parts of his body for several times until a passenger motor cab driver Ramil Ramirez y Moldez, 39, married, of Ba­rangay Masawalo, interceded in behalf of the boy and consequently freed the boy but suspect also attacked and stabbed Ramirez. When the boy was freed, persons who were at the terminal overpowered the suspect and got hold of the 14 inch-knife he used in the crime.