Hunt still on for houseboy of slain clan

BACOLOD CITY — Police are still hunting down a houseboy of a wealthy sugar milling family whose six members and two housemaids were massacred in their residence here last Sunday morning.

This city’s mayor, Oscar Verdeflor, offered a P50,000 reward for information on the whereabouts of 19-year-old houseboy Bemon Gallo, who escaped after the incident.

The victims, who were stabbed, hacked and strangled to death and whose heads were bashed, were Carlos Rivilla Jr., 77; his wife, Florenda, 76; son Benrico, 41, and grandsons Mark, 13; Guillermo Benrico, 11; and John Michael, 9. The Rivillas own the Ormoc Sugar Central in Leyte.

Also slain were housemaid Dolores Ugatis and cook Ritchel Gonzales. The Rivilla family’s driver, Rudy Alfonso, survived with multiple hack wounds.

Dr. Luis Gamboa, city health officer, debunked earlier police reports that the victims were shot dead. — Antonieta Lopez