Man hacked to death by in-laws

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A man was brutally hacked and stabbed to death by his wife’s nephew and brother inside his house at Barangay San Jose, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental Thursday night.

Killed was Lito Bawa-an, 58, of the said village.

Police Staff Sergeant Arnold Gelangre, case investigator of Sipalay City Police Station, said suspects Jay-R Bacornay, 24, and his uncle Bonifacio Tabanao, 46, came from a drinking session before attacking Bawa-an with bladed weapons for still unknown reasons.

The victim’s wife asked help from their neighbors who called for police assistance. But when police responded, the two suspects continued hacking and stabbing the victim even if he was already down.

Bawa-an suffered multiple hack wounds which caused his immediate death.

Police recovered from the scene a 13-inch kitchen knife and a 20-inch bolo.

Bacornay and Tabanao, who were the victim’s nephew and brother, respectively, are now in police custody.

Gelangre said the suspects committed the crime out of vengeance after they alleged that the victim killed Tabanao’s brother in 2012.

Both suspects are facing murder charges.

The incident happened a day after an eight-year-old boy who was playing with a gun allegedly killed his father out of anger when the latter scolded and kicked him in the face at the said village last Wednesday.