LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A 78-year old widow died after she was allegedly stabbed by her own niece inside her residence at LB-135 Rockyside I, Lubas here Friday afternoon.
Senior Superintendent Florante Camuyot, officer-in-charge of the Benguet Provincial Police Office, identified the fatality as Lourdez Batong Lartec, 78, widow and a resident of Rockyside I, Lubas, La Trinidad, Benguet while he named the suspect as her own niece Marcela Batong Espada, 53, OFW and a resident of LD-15 Rocky Side 2, Lubas, La Trinidad, Benguet.
Initial police investigation showed when the victim’s son arrived home, he saw the suspect on top of her mother and was about to stab her again.
At this juncture, the suspect immediately fled the crime scene while the victim’s son sought the assistance of their neighbors to bring her wounded mother to the hospital for medical treatment.
However, attending physicians declared the victim dead on arrival at the Benguet General Hospital due to fatal stab wound on his body.
Relatives of the suspect allegedly claimed that she came back from Taiwan to pursue several missions, one was to allegedly kill her aunt and several others.
The suspect was subsequently arrested by police operatives during a follow-up operation and is now awaiting the filing of appropriate charges against her before the Benguet provincial prosecutor’s office.
By Dexter A. See