Octogenarian couple killed in Carcar City

CEBU, Philippines - An octogenarian couple was killed inside their house in Carcar City over the weekend.

The decomposing bodies of Renerio Neri, 83, and his wife Dolores, 82, were found inside a room of their house in Barangay Guadalupe, Carcar City Sunday afternoon.

The childless couple was believed to have been killed between Friday night and Saturday dawn, said PO2 Rosendo Binondo of Carcar City Police Station.

Binondo said Renerio was sprawled on the floor while Dolores’ body was found in the bed.

Everything inside the room was in disarray, the police officer said.

The bodies were first discovered by Gloria Alfafara, 65, wife of Dolores’ nephew.

Alfafara told police that prior to the discovery of the bodies, she passed by the couple’s house at 8 a.m. last Sunday and noticed that the house was closed and the lights were on.

Around 4 p.m., Alfafara and a neighbor, Ismael Aldebera, 60, went to the couple’s house to check the elders inside. To their surprise, they found the victims dead.

Aldebera told police that he has not heard even a single gunfire before the killing.

Police recovered three empty shells of a caliber 9 mm pistol and a slug from the crime scene.

Binondo said they are looking into robbery and land dispute as motives for the killings. Nobody saw the gunman, he said.

The couple, police said, owns pieces of land in Carcar City and in the town of Alcoy although they have never been involved in a land dispute.

Binondo said it was possible that the killing was a case of robbery considering that the things inside the victims’ room were in disarray.

Binondo said they are checking for any missing items.

He said the couple has nine public utility jeepneys which are being managed  by a nephew in Cebu City.

Renerio was known in their area as a faith healer.

Neighbors said the couple was kind-hearted people with no enemies, although they rarely talked to people.

Alfafara said the victims were last seen Friday afternoon buying snacks. — /LPM (FREEMAN)