Man hacks dead jealous wife in front of children

MAMBUSAO, CAPIZ ,Philippines  — A 30-year-old man hacked his 28-year-old wife dead in the presence of their two young children inside their house at Barangay Libo-o of this town recently.

The suspect, Ronnel Amen-Amen, allegedly fled after the incident and left dead his wife, while their two children, aged 3 and 2, left the house and went to their grandparents’ house in the same barangay.

On their way, they met their lolo and lola and, with expressions of innocence, told their elders: “Ginpatay ni Tatay si Nanay.”

The lolo immediately ordered the lola to whisk away their grandchildren, while he checked on his daughter Lenny, who was however already dead when he arrived.

Inspector Leomindo Vipinoza, Mambusao Police chief, said the children, who were witnesses to the brutal incident, shed no tears. “Siguro, they thought it was just one of those marital spats,” he said

Police investigation said that jealousy sparked the tragic incident between the couple.

Ronnel, a fish vendor, was confronted by Lenny immediately after he went home from work. Lenny allegedly nagged her husband after the latter, together with their 8-year-old eldest child, left the house in the morning of December 30 and went home at around 7 p.m.

This started the couple’s verbal tussle, and prompted the 8-year-old child to leave their house purposely to ask for help from her maternal grandparents.

Before help came, however, the heated argument turned physical when Lenny took a bolo and struck her husband on the stomach.

While their two children watched, the couple grappled for the bolo’s possession until Ronnel overpowered Lenny. He then hacked his wife on the different parts of her body. —Jennifer P. Rendon

The wounded Ronnel immediately left the house and went to his relatives who in turn brought him to the nearest Mambusao District Hospital. He was later transferred and is now confined at Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital in Roxas City.