Lover's textmate drives man to murder-suicide

MANILA, Philippines - Jealous rage prompted a 47-year-old businessman to stab dead his live-in partner in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City at around midnight yesterday, according to police.

Nilo Matira also stabbed himself in front of their 22-year-old daughter, Leonida, who had neighbors help her rush her parents to the Fairview General Hospital.

Her mother, Aida Matira, 45, was declared dead upon arrival from six stab wounds she sustained in different parts of the body.

Leonida said her mother took up her father’s surname even if they were not married, since they had been living together for more than 20 years.

Nilo is currently confined at the East Avenue Medical Center.

PO3 Joseph Madrid, who was tasked by Quezon City Police District homicide division head Chief Inspector Ben Elenzano to handle the case, said Nilo murdered his common-law wife apparently out of jealousy.

Based on the daughter’s testimony, he said the suspect and the victim had recently been fighting a lot about the woman’s textmate.

“Allegedly, the victim met a taxi driver, a certain Rainer, about a month ago and they started texting each other,” Madrid told The STAR.

According to him, the wounds sustained by the victim were deep enough to suggest that her attacker was very angry, and the number of stab wounds alone indicated rage.

Police Officer 3 Edwin dela Cruz said the stabbing happened at around 11:30 p.m. at Matira residence.

Leonida told police she was chatting with some friends when her cousin, Jennylin Manahan, told her to attend to her mother since her parents appeared to be fighting.

When she entered the house, she said she saw her father walking out of the bedroom holding a bloodstained kitchen knife.

“I ended your mother’s life,” her father allegedly told Leonida before he started stabbing himself.

Dela Cruz said Leonida, “in fear for her life, picked up a pail and threw it at her father.”

Madrid said Nilo – who had been supplying chicken meat to various markets, along with the victim – will be charged with murder instead of parricide since he and the victim are not lawfully wed.