2 dead in Bilibid stabbing rampage

An inmate serving time for killing his own father ran amuck at the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City last Sunday night, killing a fellow inmate and wounding six others before being shot dead by responding jailguards

Sergio Cañete, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and parricide, went on a stabbing rampage at around 10:30 p.m. inside Dorm 13-C of the NBP maximum security compound, Art Dimayuga, NBP public information officer, said.

Using a 24-inch improvised jungle bolo, Cañete attacked his fellow Batang Cebu gang mates while they were asleep, said Francisco Abonales, NBP maximum security compound superintendent.

Pedrito Atellao was killed in the savage attack while Hernandy Mabitag, Pedrito Arquillano, Felix Pitago, Ernesto Callao, Felipe Siyao and Berto Iran suffered hack wounds.

Atellao died before reaching the NBP Hospital, where Arquillano, Callao, and Siyao are now confined.

Rushed to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila for more serious wounds were Mabitag, Pitago, and Iran.

PGH officials said yesterday three men have been declared out of danger. They remained at the obeservation room but could be released within the day and returned to the NBP.

A source told The STAR that Cañete may have run amuck following a shabu session with several other inmates inside the dormitory.

Abonales, however, denied the allegation.

"Our initial investigation showed that Cañete may have been despondent because his wife and relatives have not been visiting him. His wife has also reportedly left him. He has also been having problems with his teenage child. A letter about this was found in his possession. Another theory is that he maybe suffering from mental illness because he had also killed his father," Abonales said.

He said that he received the information from Cañete’s brothers, Alfredo and Trinidad, who are also serving time at the NBP.

The slain inmate had been staying with his brother Alfredo at Dorm 13-C while Trinidad was at 4 E-2.

Abonales said the jailguards were forced to shoot Cañete after he failed to heed the warning shots.

He declined to say how may gunshot wounds Cañete sustained, pending the results of the autopsy conducted on the inmate’s remains.

Abonales also said that last Saturday, a search conducted in various brigades yielded more than a 100 improvised bladed weapons. Batang Cebu’s brigade was among those not searched. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe