A MAN and his daughter were stabbed to death on Friday evening, May 13, due to a family problem and political argument in Barangay Matina Aplaya, Davao City.
Talomo Police Station commander Major Noel Villahermosa told SunStar Davao in a phone interview on Sunday morning, May 15, that Panfilo Manrique, 71, and his daughter Geraldin, 43, were killed by Rio Ballenas, 30, whose partner is the other daughter of Panfilo.
"Naa man gud sila problema sa pamilya. Nilayas tong ka-live in ni Rio (They have personal family problem. Rio’s live-in partner ran away), a day before. The following day, naa nay panaglalis about family, then nasagulan pa gyud about politics (there was a heated argument about family, which was further triggered by politics)," Villahermosa said.
He said the incident happened around 10:30 p.m. after the victims were arguing over their political leanings on the national and the local scenes.
While the names of those they were supporting were not mentioned, Villahermosa said the suspect was agitated as the candidates he was supporting in the local elections in Norallah, South Cotabato lost.
The police official added that after stabbing the victims, Ballenas further vented his anger by going out of the house shouting that he killed those he had heated arguments with.
Ballenas was eventually arrested and detained at the detention cell of the police station.
The suspect’s three children, who witnessed the incident, were immediately brought to the Women and Children Protection Desk at the police station, and will be undergoing intervention from the City Social Welfare and Development Office.
Charges of double murder will be filed against Ballenas on Monday, May 16.
Meanwhile, Villahermosa reminded the public to calm down and accept the results of the election.
"Accept kung unsa ang nahimong resulta [of the elections], ug mag move on para naa ta (Let’s all accept whatever the result of the election, and move on so that we would have) peace of mind," he said.
Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao spokesperson Eudisan Gultiano, earlier in a press conference, also urged supporters of the losing candidates to accept the results and support the winning candidates.
Gultiano said they have not yet received reports of any election-related violence as the earlier cases were deemed due to personal reasons.