Family of 4 killed; bodies dumped in septic tank

MANILA, Philippines - A couple and their two sons aged 6 and 8 were killed, their bodies mutilated and dumped in a septic tank at the back of their house in Cagayan de Oro City last Monday, and the crime was only discovered yesterday, authorities said.

Senior Inspector Rechie Yandog, Station 7 chief of Cagayan de Oro City, identified the victims as Christopher Lastimosa, 34, his wife Sumagang, 34, and their sons Christian, 8, and Chamlie, 6.

Yandog said the victims’ bloated bodies were found stuffed in a septic tank behind their house in Zone 4 Agong, Barangay Canitoan in Cagayan de Oro.

The septic tank measured about four by six feet wide and less than five feet deep.

Responding policemen recovered near the crime scene a bolo which was about 10 inches long; and two kitchen knives, both about five inches long, all having bloodstains.

Police brought in for investigation the Lastimosas’ helper Arman Aboyin, 18, believed to be responsible for the crime.

Aboyin was found in possession of a piece of aluminum foil and a sachet believed to contain shabu.

Yandog said the crime was discovered at around 10:45 a.m. yesterday by a relative of the Lastimosas who went to their house after they failed to answers calls and text messages to them.

He said the relative knocked on the door but nobody answered, prompting him to enter the house, where he saw bloodstains leading to the septic tank.

Yandog said forensic experts retrieved first the body of the youngest boy, then the remains of his eight-year-old brother, and then their mother’s.

Yandog said Christopher’s arms were cut apparently to fit his body into the septic tank and apparently his body was the first to be dumped.

Yandog said they tracked down Aboyin, who has wounds in his arms that he apparently sustained in a struggle.

Investigators still had to determine the motive behind the killing, but learned that the house was merely pawned to the Lastimosas by a relative of Aboyin.– With Gerry Gorit