5 hacked dead in San Pablo City

Five members of a family, including a 2-month-old baby, were hacked dead in San Pablo City, Laguna, by a neighbor over a previous spat with one of the victims, police said on Thursday.

Victims Bay Rendon Jr., 40, his wife Maricel, 24, and their 2-month-old daughter, Marijoy, died instantly while their two other children, Jay-em, 7, and Jomari, 5, died in a hospital in the city on Thursday.

Their 8-year-old daughter, Margie, survived the attack and was able to identify the suspect.

The attack happened past 11 p.m. on Wednesday while the family was asleep in their bamboo hut in the remote village of Sta. Filomena, said Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz, Laguna police director, in a text message.

In a phone interview, Supt. Ferdinand de Castro said the victims suffered multiple hack wounds. A scythe might have been used in the attacks, he said.

The survivor, Margie, suffered a hack wound in the chest but was able to flee and seek help from relatives in the village, according to De Castro.

Margie identified the assailant as a neighbor, a certain Ernie Tambuong, 19, a farmer. Police arrested him at home around 1 a.m. on Thursday.