A 29-YEAR-OLD mother stabbed her five-year-old daughter several times with a broken bottle in front of a priest in Barangay Centro, Mandaue City, Sunday dawn.

Two men were also killed in separate shooting incidents in Barangay Poblacion Ward 4, Minglanilla, and in Barangay Bonbon, Aloguinsan last Saturday night.

In the Mandaue City incident, investigation showed that Sara (real name withheld) and her daughter Pia (real name withheld) attended a mass celebrated by Fr. Benjamin Cortes in the National Shrine of St. Joseph at 4:30 a.m.

Sara, who hails from Bohol, later screamed “Ungo mi (We’re witches)” and stabbed Pia at least four times in front of Fr. Cortes, according to PO1 Juliet Trogo of Police Station 1-Women and Children’s Protection Desk. The victim is Sara’s daughter from a previous relationship.

“Wa gyo’y igong rason nga iyang gidunggab ang iyang anak (There was no enough reason why she stabbed her child),” said Trogo in a phone interview.

Pia, who is now in a stable condition, suffered a big cut on her chest.

The church security personnel and parishioners stopped Sara from further inflicting injuries to her daughter.

They rushed Pia to the nearby Mandaue City District Hospital, but the girl was transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City for treatment of her wounds in the chest and arms.

Sara, on the other hand, was brought to the psychiatric ward of VSMMC.

Trogo said they will wait for the findings of the pyschiatrist before they will make any move against the mother.

Before the incident happened, Sara’s live-in partner Bobby (not his real name) brought her and Pia to the bakeshop where he works as a baker.

He did not notice Sara went out of his workplace, bringing along Pia with her.

Stomach pains

Trogo said that Sara possibly found the broken bottle while she was on her way to the church.

Bobby said he has been living with Sara for the past years. He noticed his partner complaining of stomach pains in the past weeks.

Trogo said Sara’s illness is undiagnosed by a doctor because Bobby has no money to bring her to a hospital.

“Gibawela lang tungod sa kaprobehon (It was just taken for granted because of poverty),” said the police officer. “Nagtigom pa daw siya (He was still trying to save up money).”

Bobby also denied they are hooked on drugs.

In Poblacion Ward 4, Mauricio Ompong Tan died in the hospital after he was shot by an unidentified assailant at 10:50 p.m.

Tan suffered five gunshot wounds in the different parts of his body. He was drinking liquor with his friends before the shooting happened.

Investigation showed that the victim was reportedly involved in robbery incidents in the past.

At 9:40 p.m., Rodelio Papasin Nengasca, 45, died in a hospital after an unidentified perpetrator shot him in the chest and abdomen in Bonbon town.

Nengasca, former convict, was also in a drinking binge with his friends before the attack occurred.

Police said the victim was a known troublemaker in Bonbon.