Woman killed, 3 kids seriously hurt by burglar who broke into home

MANILA, Philippines — A 46-year-old woman was killed and her three children, all minors, were critically injured after a man who police said was a member of the notorious burglary gang Akyat-Bahay, went on a stabbing rampage inside their house early Monday morning in Caloocan City.

The killing, which occurred around 4 a.m. on Reparo St., Barangay (village) 161, prompted the second-highest-ranking city official to offer a P50,000 reward for the arrest of the suspect.

Bong Padua, a close aide of Vice Mayor Edgar Erice, confirmed this to the Philippine Daily Inquirer over the phone.

Police identified the victims as Ana Agulio and her children Justine Anne, 15; Arvin John, 13; and Alfer John, 11.

Police Officer 3 Joselito Barredo, case investigator, told the Inquirer that Agulio, a widower, was declared dead on arrival at the Manila Central University hospital.

Justine Anne has to undergo surgery after sustaining a stab wound in the back, while her brothers are, as of press time, still confined in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Investigators have identified the suspect as Ivan Lou Climaco.  But Senior Police Officer 2 Ramil Ricasio of Substation 2 said that they had yet to establish a motive for what could have been the gruesome massacre of the family of four.

Barredo said it was possible that Climaco, who had a record of involvement in burglaries in the village, had been targeting Aguilio’s house.

“We have yet to see if there was anything stolen from there, though,” the police official told the Inquirer.

Barredo said Agulio’s three young children who pointed at Climaco, who also lived in their area, as their assailant.

Based on an initial investigation, Agulio, who was sleeping with her children in one room, woke up and got up early in the morning to prepare breakfast.

Barredo said she went straight to the kitchen to do her routine, and was followed by Arvin soon after.

“Justine and Alfer were left inside the room. When the suspect broke inside the house using a window in that same room, the two children did not feel his presence because they were still asleep,” Barredo explained.

Climaco then barged inside the kitchen, got hold of a knife, and first attacked Agulio, who was at that time drinking coffee by the dining table, Barredo said.

Arvin tried to help his mother, but he was stabbed in the process.

According to police, by this time, Justine and Alfer had woken up, and had begun shouting upon seeing the commotion.

This prompted the suspect to go after and attack them as well.

Climaco escaped through the same window he used to gain access to the house, Barredo said.

A manhunt for Climaco was still ongoing as of Monday afternoon but criminal charges were already being readied against the suspect.

The kitchen knife used in the attack, meanwhile, has yet to be recovered.