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Sunday, September 05, 2004
Argao mother attacks 2 sons
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- A mother hacked her two sons while they were eating lunch last Friday in Barangay Linut-od, Argao, Cebu.
Arlinda But-ay, 26, told Sun.Star that spirits kept on dictating her what to do and threatened to take her and her children away if she disobeyed.
Five-year-old John Axel made it to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) but died at midnight due to severe wounds on his chest and neck.
His brother Arnel, 7, survived after sustaining less serious wounds on the left side of his breast, upper right arm and right side of his body.
Both children had to be brought to the hospital using motorcycles, which traveled about an hour to the town proper.
Linut-od is about 20 kilometers away from the town proper.
Barangay Captain Guillermo Caminero Jr. said that three months ago, Arlinda, his cousin, got sick with typhoid fever.
Despite the illness, she did not seek medical treatment because her mother Romualda, a devout member of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA), reportedly relied on the organization to heal her.
Zacharias Bentuta, a PBMA member and barangay councilor, blamed Arlinda's habit of skipping meals for her strange behavior.
But her husband Wilmer, according to a dyLA report, said they must have angered an engkanto (spirit).
He believes the spirit possessed his wife and made her kill their sons.
According to Arlinda's brother Cresenciano Sardido, Arlinda threw a rock at Axel's head earlier that morning.
They were surprised when she dragged her two boys to a grassy area and attacked Axel.
She reportedly kept saying that the boys were not her children, but men who wanted to kill her and her family.
At noon, Cresenciano's wife, Nene, offered lunch for the two boys, who were playing in their yard.
Arlinda reportedly entered the house and then locked the doors.
At first, things were quiet.
Suddenly, cries for help came from the two boys, prompting the neighbors to rush to the house and bang on the doors.
Arlinda reportedly attacked Arnel first, but he was able to run and hide under the table, which prompted her to turn her attention to Axel.
As she continued stabbing Axel, Arnel ran towards the door and unlocked it.
When Nene burst inside, she saw Arlinda on top of Axel still holding the handle of a pinute.
The blade was still stuck in Axel's chest.
"We pushed her aside and immediately pulled out the pinute. But the boy was already weak," Cresenciano told Sun.Star in Cebuano.
He said he ordered Arlinda's husband Wilmer to tie her up so she could not harm others.
The boys were first brought to the Isidro C. Kintanar Memorial Hospital in Argao and were later rushed to Cebu City.
Lucid again
Arlinda, who was detained at the Argao Police Station, seemed to be in shock.
She often stared into space and had a look of regret.
She said she knew why she was put to jail and that she was very exhausted.
Cresenciano said that aside from her typhoid fever, Arlinda also skipped her meals.
"Maayo na lang kon makakaon siya og duha ka hungit sa usa ka adlaw (On her good days, she had maybe two bites of food)," he said.
Arlinda was reportedly very hardworking.
Caminero said that because she owed P5,000 to their cooperative, she worked constantly to pay the balance.
After selling vegetables in Carbon Market, she would bring items to the barangay to sell.
"Clothes, shoes, slippers, pots and pans, you name it. She always forgot to eat because she was so busy," Caminero said.
Affectionate
Cresenciano said there was nothing wrong with her before she got sick.
Neighbors noted that Arlinda suddenly became quiet after she had the typhoid fever.
And before Friday's attack, she showed her affection for her two boys.
Cresenciano said he could attest that his sister was always looking out for them, changing their clothes when they got soiled and making sure they ate properly.
In a dyLA interview, Argao Mayor Wilfredo Caminero said he hoped to bring Arlinda to a psychiatrist.
However, PO3 Arnold Abenir said they would have to file a parricide and frustrated parricide case against Arlinda.
The court will decide if she needs psychiatric help.
(September 5, 2004 issue)
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