Woman, 2 niblings beaten to death

MANILA, Philippines — The bodies of a woman and her two niblings were found in a house in Las Piñas on Saturday afternoon, reportedly beaten to death by the woman’s partner.

Their corpses were discovered after someone detected a foul smell coming from a room in the victims’ house in Barangay Pulang Lupa Dos, according to a report of city police chief Col. Sandro Jay Tafalla.

Authorities found Mary Jean Avellana, 27; her niece Nathalie Jane Cabintoy, 19, and nephew Oliver Bautista, 11, on the bed.

Police arrested Avellana’s partner, Vicente Kanagy, 35, in a follow-up operation on the same day.

He is currently detained at the Las Piñas police station on three counts of murder.

Police said the victims’ belongings were in disarray.

The three were last seen alive on May 15 by the sister of one of the victims, police said.

Tafalla reported that based on the evidence at the crime scene, a 22-inch piece of wood believed to be the murder weapon may have been used first on Cabintoy, then Avellana and Bautista.

Probers found a blanket tied to the neck of one victim.

Another victim’s wrists and feet were bound with scotch tape, with a piece of cloth stuffed into the victim’s mouth.

The third victim had scotch tape tied around the neck.

Tafalla reported that jealousy may have been the motive for the killings, with Kanagy suspecting Avellana of being in another relationship.

He allegedly visited Avellana at her workplace, but found that while her e-bike was there, she was not,
according to Tafalla.