BURN TO DEATH
Mentally-ill man kills ma, claims she’s an ‘aswang,’ victim’s 3 minor-grandchildren witness incident
AN elderly woman died after she was struck and burned to death by her alleged mentally-ill son at their house in Barangay Cabadiangan, Sipalay City in Negros Occidental on Sunday, November 11.
Killed was Gloria Eseng, 63, of the said vil- lage.
Chief Inspector Anthony Grande, city police chief, said the victim was sitting inside their house, along with her three grandchildren aged 6, 7, and 8 years old when suspect, Rolando Eseng, 42, suddenly hit her forehead with a shovel four times.
When the victim was unconscious, Rolando dragged her to the comfort room, five meters away from their house, where he lighted the coarse grasses and burned his mother, Grande said.
The victim’s grandchildren, including the suspect’s eight-year-old son, witnessed the incident. They immediately called for help.
The suspect’s son went to his aunt’s house and informed her about the incident.
When the aunt arrived, along with the village watchmen, they saw Rolando in the area and immediately arrested him. He was then brought to the police station for custody.
Grande said the suspect is aware that he killed his mother, claiming that he only did the crime because he thought his mother was an “aswang” (shapeshifting evil spirit).
Prior to the incident, the suspect was not able to eat and sleep for three days. He held bladed weapons for an unknown reason, Grande said.
Grande said his family recently noticed the sudden change in his behavior when his wife left him in 2016.
Grande said the family is willing to pursue parricide charges against the suspect, who was isolated from other detainees in the custodial facility.*