3 young sisters found dead in Lipa apartment

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines – Three young girls – two sisters and a cousin – who were home alone were found bludgeoned to death inside an apartment on San Nicolas Street, Barangay (village) Balintawak, Lipa City on Sunday morning, police said.

Superintendent Carlos Barde, Lipa City police chief, said Princess Oliveros, 10, her sister Andrae, 7, and their cousin Joyce Ann Oliveros, 8, were found lifeless by their uncle, Arthur Cunanan, when he arrived at the apartment at about 9:15 a.m.

The three girls were found sprawled inside the bedroom, all with head injuries, he said.

Barde said the children were left alone as their grandmother, Setty Jane Oliveros, 47, who has been taking care of them, left at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday to attend to her store at the city’s market.

Cunanan arrived at the apartment to bring food to the children at 9:15 a.m. and discovered the children’s bloodied remains.

The children were hit with a softdrink bottle wrapped with cloth, said Barde.

According to Barde, the children’s relatives had made it a daily routine to alternately bring food to the children at around that time as the grandmother would usually leave before dawn for open her market stall.

Barde said robbery was a likely motive because the grandmother’s cash amounting to P40,000 and some jewelry were missing.

“Maybe one of the children was awakened and she knew who the suspect was so they were all killed, said Barde, adding that if the main purpose was to rob, there was no need to kill the children.

The parents of Princess and Andrae separated a year ago and left them in the care of their grandmother. There was no information on the background of Joyce Ann and why she was living with the grandmother.

Barde said Cunanan is also under investigation although witnesses from the market claimed that he was with them when the incident happened.

He said that the killing might have happened between 1:30 a.m. to 4 a.m.

“We are still interviewing witnesses and conducting investigation to identify the suspects,” Barde said.

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