Mentally-ill man breaks into convent

A 26-year-old man reportedly suffering from a mental illness broke into a monastery and repeatedly hacked a nun in barangay Sacsac, Consolacion town, northern Cebu.

Romilo Tampus used a 16-inch bolo in hacking Annabel Macas, a Franciscan nun of the House of Immaculate Gate of Heaven.

Macas sustained hack wounds in the head and other parts of the body. She was rushed to  a hospital in Cebu City for treatment.

Police said the nuns had just finished their morning prayers when the attack occurred around 8 a.m. yesterday.

Insp. Franco Rudolf Oriol, officer-in-charge of the Consolacion Municipal Police Office, said Tampus climbed over the convent’s 10-foot wall at the back of the monastery and chanced upon the victim.

Tampus was later arrested in barangay Tolo-Tolo.

“I did not regret what I did to her,” Romilo said in Cebuano.

The suspect’s father, Camilo, said his son was mentally deranged and they were supposed to take him to  a mental health institution.

“I am very sorry to the family of Sister Annabel. I would like to apologize since my son was out of his mind,” he said.
Tampus, who appeared disturbed behind bars, accused the nuns  of tying him up Friday night.

But his father said it was Romilo’s family  who tied him up  as they were preparing to bring him to a mental institution.

Police said they had previously  responded to several alarms that involved the disturbed man.
Insp. Oriol said there were times when Romilo would run after people causing alarm in the neighborhood.

Because of yesterday’s incident, the nuns temporarily vacated the monastery.

“It’s good that they temporarily vacated. It can give them peace of mind because the blood stains can still be seen in the crime scene,” Oriol  said. With a report from Carine M. Asutilla