A BRITISH national and his Filipina wife were charged with two separate criminal charges for attacking their neighbor who allegedly fetched water from their privately owned deep well in Sitio Sanggutan, Daanlungsod, Medellin.
The victim identified as Maricel de la Cerna, 24, sustained stab wounds in different parts of her body after she was allegedly stabbed by Molina Sprawson, 42 at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
She was able to flee from her assailant and ran to the house of a neighbor-policeman to seek help. But Molina Sprawson and her British husband Gary Sprawson arrived aboard a motorcycle, entered the fence of the police officer’s house without permission and tried to hit de la Cerna with their vehicle.
Molina was charged with attempted murder while her husband Gary was charged with trespassing before the Bogo City court yesterday afternoon.
They are both detained at the Medellin Police Station.
Police investigation showed that de la Cerna was walking when she met Molina, who suddenly pulled out a knife and attacked her. As she was lying on the ground, she asked her assailant the reason for the attack.
Molina allegedly said de la Cerna and her live-in partner constantly fetched water from their deep well despite being forewarned and banned from doing so.
De la Cerna was able to pull down Molina and ran and hid at the grassy portion until Molina lost sight of her.
De la Cerna then went to the house of P03 Marlon Villarin who also called up the police station to send back-up personnel.
But minutes later, the Sprawson couple arrived on board a motorcycle and forcibly entered the property of Villarin despite the refusal of the policeman.
They almost hit dela Cerna with their motorcycle.
Upon arrival of the back-up policemen, the Sprawsons were brought to the police station for detention.
Dela Cerna was brought to the hospital but her wounds were not that serious and she was not confined.
Meanwhile, Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez belied reports that water shortage was the cause of the stabbing incident.
He said there might have been a prior conflict between the victim and the Sprawsons.
“The water situation here in the midst of a dry spell isn’t that bad. It’s just like any ordinary summer. The couple and the victim might have had a jealousy-related squabble a while back,” Ramirez told Cebu Daily News.
The mayor also said the Sprawsons have been involved in quarrels with neighbors before, citing an incident two years ago when the couple’s dog bit a neighbor and he recommended that the couple pay for the victim’s medical expenses.
He said the husband has always been stern and the wife seemed to be disagreeable.
“It has always been the attitude of those who are from here to flock to wells which still have water whenever all others have dried up. People don’t deprive themselves of water. That’s called the Bayanihan spirit. Foreigners don’t have that,” Ramirez said.