LEGAZPI CITY – Five members of a family were stabbed dead while a 13-year-old girl was hurt when they were attacked inside their house in Baleno town in Masbate province on Saturday night, police said Sunday.
Police Colonel Joriz Cantoria, Masbate police chief identified those killed as Jesus Adigue, 70; his wife Adela, 67; and their daughter Jennifer, 40. Jennifer’s daughters Joyce, 17, and Kristille, 14, were also killed. Another of Jennifer’s daughters, Angel, 13, was hurt and was brought to a hospital.
Initial investigation showed that while the victims were sleeping inside their house in Barangay (village) Tinapian at around 11 p.m., a 16-year-old boy and two still unidentified persons entered and took Joyce’s cellphone.
But Kristelle was awakened, prompting the suspects to stab them.
The incident was reported by their neighbor to the police on Sunday morning.
Police Major Maria Luisa Calubquib, the Bicol police spokesperson, said one of the suspects was later arrested during a pursuit operation and is now in the custody of the Baleno police.
Calubaquib said the arrested suspect was known to the victims.
Police are still trying to identify the other suspects.