Social workers are guiding to “emotional healing” the bereaved relatives of six-year old Lara Mae Concodes who was slain by her uncle Efren Matedios in Tabuelan town, northwestern Cebu.
“Our municipal social workers are trained and equipped in handling emotional therapy,” said Wilson Ramos, administrative officer of the Provincial Social Work and Development Office.
He said they instructed a social worker from the municipality to conduct stress debriefing for the girl’s mother Elizabeth Matedios and grandmother Pablita.
“They are the most affected by the incident,” Ramos said in an interview.
He said they also instructed Tabuelan social workers to prepare documents like Lara Mae’s death certificate and the police report so the family can avail of a P5,000 financial assistance from Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma earlier asked the Catholic faithful to include in their prayers the healing of Lara Mae’s family.
In Tabuelan, the house where Lara Mae was killed is now abandoned and feared by neighbors.
Barangay Villahermosa councilor Paz Agsoy told Cebu Daily News that neighbors are scared after Efren, whom they described as “a good man with no vices,” admitted he killed and ate the liver of his niece.
Agsoy said that after Lara Mae’s death, a black bat was seen flying over the barangay. Efren was heard telling the bat, “I know who you are. You are the owner of the caimito that I ate.”
Agsoy said that neighbors believe the mayhem began when when Matedios and some neighbors went to fix a tomb a few weeks ago.
On their way to the graveyard they passed by a house whose owner was a reputed witch.
Efren and the others bought some starapple fruit from the lady for a small amount, but Efren happened to step on an orchid, angering the old lady of the house.
Agsoy, recalling Efren’s account, said the lady exclaimed: “Don’t step on that, my boy. You have paid me too little for what you ate.”
Agsoy said old folks in the town proper said that if a human is recruited to become an “ungo” they are required to eat a human being or else be struck by disease.
Neighbors believe Efren was recruited to become an “ungo,” she said.
“Our elders said that the ungo tends to recruit people who are good or don’t like to say bad words,” she said.
Prior to the arrest of Efren, Agsoy said they heard a bang on the roof as if a chicken fell but saw Efren a few moments later naked and with scratches all over his body.