Police rules out ‘aswang’ angle in baby’s death

By: Jomarie A. Billones

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Police ruled out that an “aswang” or witch is responsible for the death of a 6-month-old baby girl over the weekend at Brgy. Tanque here.

The body of the Untayao couple’s baby was found Saturday morning floating in a portion of a creek under a neighbor’s house.

Police Master Sgt. Ramil Arcangeles , spokesperson of the Roxas City PNP, considered the case closed after finding out that the baby girl died of drowning, contrary to rumors that she was snatched by an aswang.

Police investigation indicated that the baby may have crawled out of their house, which sits in the creek, and fell into the water.

The baby was found at around 8 a.m. Saturday some 10 meters away from their house. She was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.

But the Untayaos believed that an aswang snatched the baby after consulting a lady quack doctor.

The quack doctor told the couple that one of their neighbours might be a “witch” that preys on babies.

The Untayaos woke up Saturday morning to find out that the baby was already missing.

The family asked the help of the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, Capiz Emergency Response Team, and other volunteer groups to look for the baby until she was found more or less two hours later.