AN elderly man was hurt after being hacked with a shovel by his relative in Purok Cawayan, Barangay Basak, Compostela town, northern Cebu, around 6 a.m. on Monday, September 25, 2023.
Ernesto Bitoon, 78, the victim, sustained wounds in the head and arms.
He was taken to the Danao City District Hospital for treatment, but died after a few hours.
His attacker, Efren Bitoon, 45, who is also his relative, was arrested after the incident.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu, Police Captain Lino Tryss Galvan III, chief of Compostela Police Station, stated that the event happened when the victim went out of his house early Monday morning to go to the toilet, but was then attacked by the suspect, who was allegedly suffering from a mental ailment.
An investigation is still being conducted to ascertain the crime's motivation.
According to Galvan, a medical examination will be conducted on the suspect to ascertain whether his alleged mental illness is genuine or only a pretext for him to be absolved of a crime.(DVG, TPT)