Man stabs 6-year-old nephew 22 times

A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy died after he was allegedly stabbed 22 times by his uncle who was reportedly under the influence of illegal drugs inside their house at Barangay Singcang-airport in Bacolod City early Saturday.

Police withheld the name of the fatality.

Based on the investigation of the Women and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD), the victim was sleeping beside his uncle, 32-year-old Arnel Antonio, when the latter woke up at 12 midnight and suddenly attacked him with a buckle knife.

Antonio’s sister, Cherilyn Salgado, was at the adjacent house along with the victim’s sevenyear-old brother when she heard a shout.

She hurriedly went to his brother’s house and saw her nephew already covered with blood. The victim succumbed to 22 stab wounds.

Salgado, in a media interview, said Antonio takes care of the victim for six months now because his father is working in Cebu while his mother was not at the house when the incident happened.

The victim’s father immediately went home after he learned about the incident.

Antonio went emotional when he told the media that he committed the crime because he thought his nephew was an “aswang” (shapeshifting evil spirit).

Police said they have no basis that the suspect has been into illegal drugs because he did not even undergo a drug test.

However, his sister confirmed it to the authorities.

The suspect may face murder charges in relation to Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. He is detained at Police Station 8.

Chief Inspector Sherlock Gabana, public information officer of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said the suspect was arrested in pursuit operation in the said village through the help of a concerned citizen.*