Mother and son hacked to death by relative in Asturias, Cebu

Police arrested the man, who allegedly hacked a mother and her son to death, in Sitio Batarya, Barangay Banban, Asturias town in midwestern Cebu on Friday, July 14. | Photo from Asturias Police Station

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 66-year-old woman and her 31-year-old son were allegedly hacked to death by a relative on Friday afternoon, July 14.

The incident happened at about 4 p.m. in a mountain barangay in Asturias town in midwestern Cebu.

Asturias police identified the victims as Landrea Waskin Gemongala, a widow, and her son, Artemio Waskin Gemongala.  Both were residents of Sitio Batarya in Barangay Ban-ban.

Suspect Jeperson Ginses Ortelano, 30-year-old drug surrenderer, was immediately arrested by responding policemen.

Police Captain Marlon Adao, chief of Asturias Police Station, said that Ortelano may have been under the influence of illegal drugs when the hacking incident happened.

Mentally unstable?

Adao said that he does not also discount the possibility that he had mental health issues. Neighbors had told the police that the suspect was “mentally unstable.”

Still, Adao said they will push through with the filing of a complaint for double murder against the suspect in the absence of a diagnosis on his mental health condition.

In an interview at his detention cell at the Asturias Police Station, Ortelano said that he regretted having killed Landrea and Artemio.  He claimed that he lost his temper after he learned that his girlfriend, whom he called Mara, was allegedly raped.

“Gibasulan na nako ako gihimo. Nagbasol na ko,” he said.

“Ako tong nahimo sir kay tungod ang akong uyab gilugos sa iyang anak pud nga nga si… Gi alihan man ko nila, di ako pung gitigbas sila kay ako man nang uyab. Kay gitigbas man nila akong mga ig-agaw duha kabuok,” he said.

Multiple hack wounds

Based on the outcome of the police investigation, Landrea and Artemio were walking home at around 4 p.m. on Friday when Ortelano allegedly blocked their way and started to hack them.

The victims were found lifeless about near Ortelano’s home which was about 300 meters away from their own residence.  They had multiple hack wounds on their bodies.

Adao said the discovery of the bodies was reported to the Asturias Police Station two hours later or at around 6 p.m.

When the police arrived, a witness led them to were Ortelano was.

Police also recovered the scythe, which Ortelano allegedly used in killing his victims.

Background check

Quoting the outcome of their investigation, Adao said they did not find proof that Ortelano had a girlfriend who was allegedly raped by a family member of the two victims.

“Maybe alibi nya lang or gawa-gawa nya lang. Kasi kung meron pong nangyaring ganun sa alleged na ano niya, so dapat naka report po dito sa atin. So since na wala naman po, so kwento niya lang yun,” the police chief said.

As part of their investigation, Adao said they are currently doing a background check on Ortelano.

Based to the initial information that they have gathered, the suspect left their place for a short while and returned there three days prior to the hacking incident.

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