3 hacked to death in Mindoro

CALAPAN CITY ,Philippines  – Three people, including a 14-year-old female student, were hacked to death one after the other Sunday morning in a remote and mountainous area in Pinamalayan town in Oriental Mindoro. 

In a police report sent to The STAR late Sunday afternoon by provincial police director Senior Superintendent Anthony Alcañeses, the victims were identified as Matias Savalbaro, a 61-year-old retired school janitor and resident of Barangay Panggulayan, Pinamalayan; and Nora Regalado Fradejas, 38, and her niece Nomer Magararu Fradejas, 14, both residents of Sitio Centro, Barangay Guinhawa of said municipality. 

Alcañeses said based on the initial police report submitted to the Pinamalayan municipal police station, victim Savalbaro was hacked to death in an apparent robbery attempt by a still unidentified suspect at about 9 a.m. Sunday in a remote and mountainous portion of Sitio Mangga, Barangay Guinhawa, Pinamalayan. 

Police investigators and Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) both said the other victims, Nora and Nomer, witnessed the killing on the first victim and when discovered by the suspect, the two were chased by the latter and subsequently were also hacked to death.

As of press time, investigations are still ongoing and the still unidentified suspect remains at large.