Rice trader, daughter, 2 grandkids slain in Bulacan

MANILA, Philippines - A rice mill owner, his daughter and two grandchildren were killed with a kitchen knife, a screwdriver and pipe wrench by still unidentified assailants during a heavy downpour in Balagtas, Bulacan before dawn yesterday.

Chief Inspector Alfonso Cruz, Balagtas police chief, identified the victims as rice trader Rodrigo Roque, 77, his daughter Cristina Roque-Sta. Ana, 42, and her two children, Corine Joy, 12, and Christian, 10, all residents of 13 St. Francis Village, Barangay Burol 2, Balagtas town.

Police recovered near the victims’ bodies a bloodied five-inch kitchen knife, a screwdriver, and a pipe wrench believed to have been used in killing them.

Responding policemen found the bodies of Roque and his daughter at the sala, and those of the two children in their respective rooms.

Probers said there was no sign of force entry, indicating that the victims knew their killers.

The massacre apparently took place between 1 and 2:30 a.m. yesterday, amid a heavy downpour and loud music from a neighbor’s videoke.

Investigators suspect that there were at least three assailants, who apparently took a still undetermined amount of money from Roque’s vault.

Roque, according to initial information gathered by investigators, withdrew some P280,000 last Wednesday and paid sacks of palay worth P145,000. Later that day, Roque’s elder grandchild remitted P80,000.

Roque’s son Erickson, 27, said he came home from a drinking bout at around 2:30 a.m. and found the bodies of his loved ones.

Cruz said the victims had multiple stab wounds and their heads were bashed with hard objects.

Sta. Ana’s husband is reportedly working in Italy.

Police invited at least three workers of Roque for questioning. Their fingerprints will be compared to the latent prints lifted from the crime scene. – With Ric Sapnu