YESTERDAY’S 4 a.m. Mass at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City turned bizarre after a young mother suddenly screamed and attacked her five-year-old daughter without provocation.
Churchgoers who sat at the front row were shocked when 29-year-old mother identified as Merlyn Abao reportedly screamed that she was turned into a witch by her partner.
They watched in horror as Abao took a broken glass from her bag and stabbed her daughter on the stomach and chest.
Some of them immediately restrained her while the officiating priest, Fr. Benjamin Cortes, ordered the church guard to bring the bleeding child to the nearest hospital.
“I was at the church entrance when suddenly I heard the priest saying, ‘call the guard,’ and so I immediately called the guard at the gate,” said 36-year-old sacristan mayor Nemesio Aspacio.
The child’s stepfather known only as Charlie was working at a bakery in Mandaue City when the incident occurred.
The medical staff at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center said the girl is recovering from her wounds.
“So far there were no signs of trauma seen from the child. She answered questions directly and in a jolly manner just like the way she answered us before,” a female supervisor who requested anonymity said.
She said they were trying to contact the immediate relatives of the child’s mother in Pitogo, Bohol and managed to contact her neighbors.
Abao and her common law partner live with their daughter in Barangay Cambaro, Mandaue City.
“Niingon si Charlie nga nabantayan niya iyang asawa nga sigeg lakaw-lakaw nga blanko ang huna-huna. So para safety iya na lang gidala (Charlie said he noticed that his partner would walk absentmindedly. So for safety reasons, he brought them to the bakery),” the female supervisor said.
The female supervisor said they gave 1,500 for the girl’s medical needs but it is not enough since she needs medicines and anesthesia to treat her wounds.
Lea Quintana, information officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7), said Mandaue City Hall’s Social Welfare Services can handle the girl’s case.
“The regional level will intervene if they can’t handle,” she said.
Cebu Daily News tried but was unable to contact Violeta Cavada, Mandaue City Hall’s Social Welfare and Services (CSWS) chief.
The Shrine only has one guard detailed from Monday to Saturday and two guards on Sundays and one at night time until dawn each day.