Man gets 5 life terms for massacre of 3 kids, 2 others

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – A sidewalk vendor was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for killing three children and two women in this city in 2014.

Phillip Avino was convicted of five counts of murder, Regional Trial Court Branch 4 Judge Mia Joy Cawed said in her ruling.  

Jacqueline Nociete, 19; her brother, Joey, 5; Dave John de Guzman, 7; Raymund del Mundo, 9, and housemaid Jonalyn Lozano were found dead in an apartment in Barangay Kayang-Hilltop on April 9, 2014. Their bodies bore five to 18 stab wounds each.

Investigation showed Avino went on a rampage because he thought the mother of two of the victims was hiding his ex-girlfriend from him.

Vilma Nociete, Jacqueline and Joey’s mother, became hysterical when she was not able to get near the murderer of her children. She said the verdict would not bring her children back. Nociete was a former employer of Avino’s ex-girlfriend.

De Guzman’s father said he was happy that they finally got justice for his son.