BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The three siblings tagged as suspects in the killing of their own father on Sunday in Sitio Tres Elis, Brgy. Sag-ang, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, were released from the police custodial facility after an amicable settlement was reached among family members, town police chief Capt. Ramil Bustamante said yesterday.
Bustamante said the incident was triggered by the attempt of the 60-year-old victim, whose identity is being withheld, to rape his own niece on Sunday inside their residence, but was discovered by his wife, who sought the help of their three children.
The three suspects, with ages ranging from 18 to 37 years old, whose identities were also withheld, responded to the call for help of their mother and took turns in hitting their father with wooden sticks that caused his death, Bustamante said.
The three siblings and their mother, according to Bustamante, were also victims of maltreatment by their father, who was reportedly suffering from a nervous breakdown.
Bustamante said he believes that the three siblings may have had no intention to kill their own father, although he also raised the possibility that they got mad at what they had seen.
The naked and lifeless body of the victim was found inside the room of his niece by responding police probers of La Castellana.
Bustamante said that the three siblings, who immediately surrendered to the police after the incident, were released yesterday after the lapse of the 36-hour reglementary period of detention.
The three suspects were released from the police custodial facility after an amicable settlement with the wife of victim, as well as the victim’s siblings, who are no longer interested to pursue the parricide case.
Meanwhile, a senior citizen was mauled by two suspects on Monday at Camporaso Street in Brgy. Old Poblacion, San Enrique, Negros Occidental.
The victim, identified as Herman Trumpas, 60, is now being treated for his injuries at the Metro Bacolod Hospital.
One of the suspects, identified as Wilfredo Romo, 69, surrendered to the police, while Richard Romo, 53, of Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City, remained at-large, as of yesterday.
Investigations of the San Enrique police showed that the victim was hit with bamboo and wooden sticks by the two suspects. The incident was triggered by a heated altercation.*
