ILOILO – Karina Siacunco of New Lucena, Iloilo and her two children will be coming home days after Christmas – but already lifeless.
“Kasakit-sakit gid ang tulad nga paskwa,” was how Karina’s mother Gina Galache described the tragedy.
She cited plans of the New Lucena municipal government headed by Mayor Liecel Mondejar-Seville to bring home the remains of Karina and her kids.
On the afternoon of Dec. 25, Val Galache, Karina’s father, received an autopsy report revealing that his daughter did not commit suicide but was strangled to death by her husband Aiko Siacunco on Dec. 24.
The jobless Aiko also took the lives of their children – Akira, 3, and Kion, 1, inside their home in Taguig City Friday last week around 7:30 a.m., police said.
“Indi kami kapati nga amo na ang natabo,” Gina said.
Karina died of asphyxia by strangulation, police investigation showed.
Aiko strangled his wife with his hands before hanging her to deceive investigators and her family that Karina committed suicide.
Aiko also murdered his two kids by strangling them with his hands and rope, and covered them with a pillow. He surrendered to the police hours after the incident.
TROUBLED PA
According to Police Colonel Celso Rodriguez, Taguig City police chief, depression and jealousy may have driven the suspect to kill his family.
The suspect earlier told the police he was suffering from depression because he was jobless and often heard snide remarks from relatives that he was being supported by his wife.
On the other hand, Val described Aiko as short-tempered and would beat Karina even during minor arguments.
“Ang bata ko galing wala gid nagapanugid nga madugay na sia ginasakit,” Val said.
But he vouched that his son-in-law was not using illegal drugs.
“Wala man ina sia naga-droga. Wala man sia gani nagabisyo. Galing may problem lang gid sia nga bisan gamay lang nga away ginahana ya nga batukan ang asawa ya,” Val said.
Meanwhile, relatives said Aiko was jealous because of Karina’s work as a call center agent. Karina would reportedly entertain calls from clients but the suspect never proved that his wife had an extramarital affair.
The bodies of the three victims lie in state at the Our Lady of Loreto Funeral Services in Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, and will be brought to Iloilo.
Siacunco, on the other hand, was detained at the Taguig City police station custodial facility, facing three counts of parricide.
He would be taken to the National Center for Mental Health for psychiatric and psychological evaluation.
LGU ASSISTANCE
Apart from the repatriation of Karina’s remains, Mayor Seville vowed to extend burial and legal assistance to the family.
“Mahatag kita sang burial assistance. Kon legal assistance i-tap ta man ang Provincial Legal Assistance paagi kay Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.,” Seville said.
The mayor has also asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to speed up the repatriation of the remains.
For her part, Atty. Suzette Mamon, acting provincial administrator, they are preparing the necessary documents to coordinate with the DSWD in Taguig City./PN
