Woman suspected of killing lesbian lover gives self up

MANILA, Philippines—A 56-year-old woman suspected of strangling to death her lover in the last of their frequent quarrels gave herself up to the police in Bataan province Friday night, the Quezon City police said Saturday.

Police said Patricia Pilapil was the prime suspect in the death of Josephine Balangguit, 51, whose body was found around 3 a.m. Friday inside her house  on Zuzuauregui Street in Diliman following a particularly loud fight between the two women. The victim bore ligature marks on the neck.

Batasan police station commander Superintendent Ramon Pranada said a team of policemen led by Chief Inspector Edgar Osam had gone to Bataan to take custody of Pilapil, who was to be turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit which has jurisdiction over the case.

Investigators said Pilapil went home to  Dinalupihan, Bataan, immediately after Balangguit’s death, but relatives urged her to turn herself in to the police.

Investigation showed that the couple often had violent quarrels that would end up with Balangguit getting whipped by Pilapil with a leather belt, case investigator SPO1 Cristituto Zaldarriaga said.

Balangguit, who had previously filed complaints with the local barangay, was threatening to break off her relationship with Pilapil, the investigator said.

Early Friday, the couple was heard fighting inside their room by a female tenant, who claimed hearing the victim say: “Sige patayin mo na ako, tutal ganyan ka naman lagi sa akin. Lagi mo na lang ako tinatakot na papatayin, saksakin mo na ako (Go ahead, kill me; you keep saying that anyway. You always threaten to kill me, so stab me already).”

A scuffle ensued after which the curious tenant peeped through a gap in the door to see what was happening, Zaldarriaga said.

Seeing the victim lying on the floor, the tenant called for help from neighbors and brought the victim to the East Avenue Medical Center where she was declared dead on arrival.