ILOILO City – A storeowner and her helper were stabbed yesterday in Barangay San Antonio, Molo district. They died.
Teresita Tagriza was 74 while her helper, Remedios Malaga, was 52.
Police arrested a suspect – 22-year-old Rene Diocos, a resident of Barangay Dalag, Alimodian, Iloilo but temporarily staying in Barangay San Antonio.
Diocos was an Electrical Technology student at the Iloilo Science and Technology University, said Chief Inspector Marlon Valencia, Molo police chief.
From what the police so far gathered, Diocos barged into Tagriza’s store around 8:30 a.m., attacked the storeowner first then Malaga who was doing laundry.
Diocos also stabbed Tagriza’s daughter Julie Ann Peñafiel, 35, on the shoulders.
Tagriza and Malaga died at the Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital.
Peñafiel survived. Her two-year-old daughter was unharmed.
Policemen managed to identify Diocos with the help of Peñafiel.
According to Valencia, Diocos, who had a wound on his right arm, tried to pretend he was seeking help for the stabbing victims but the cops did not buy his antics.
The suspect was taken to the West Visayas State University Medical Center where he was under tight security.
He would be charged with murder and frustrated murder charges, said Valencia.
The Molo police chief said robbery was the crime motive.
The knife used in the stabbing was recovered./PN
