Two children aged 10 and 15 were killed while their parents were critically wounded after they were stabbed by a neighbor inside their house in barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City yesterday morning.
The motive of the violence is still being investigated.
The assailant identified as Jamil Pecate Ibra alias Taosi, 25, was also killed after one of the victims fought back.
Police said the suspect was an ex-convict who was released last year after serving his sentence for illegal possession of firearms.
Police said Norjata Cabugatan, 10, was already dead when she was brought to the Mactan Doctors’ Hospital. Her older brother, Jamalodin, 15, died while being treated at the hospital.
Their parents Kamad Cabugatan, 43, and Shamsia, 40, remain in critical condition at the hospital.
Ibra, the assailant, died of multiple stab wounds.
Insp. Zanaido Pastorfide, chief of the homicide section of the Lapu-Lpau City Police Office, said initial investigation showed that Ibra barged into the house of the Muslim family at 10:30 a.m.
The suspect first attacked Norjata, who was near the door. Shamsia shouted for help but was also attacked.
The assailant then turned to the sleeping Jamalodin then the father Kamad.
Kamad was able to grab the knife from the assailant and stab him in turn.
The assailant and the Cabugatan family were on good terms, according to initial reports.
PO2 Angelo Abella said investigators are checking the possibility that the assailant was high on illegal drugs and may have had a previous case involving narcotics.
The assailant’s brother who works as a fireman went to the police station to verify what had happened.
Abella said the brother also suspected that his brother may have been under the influence of drugs.
“Basin kono’g naka-drugs iyang igsoon unya gisabaan lang sa silingan kay nagpahuway siya
(It‘s possible that his brother was using drugs and was trying to rest but couldn’t because his neighbors were noisy),” Abella said.
An 11-inch knife was recovered from the crime scene.