An 84-year-old traditional healer or “albularyo” was stabbed to death by two unidentified assailants who entered his home in E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, early Wednesday, Aug. 19.
The victim was attacked at around 4:40 a.m. inside his residence in Don Hermino Village, Brgy. 1, while he and his 61-year-old wife were sleeping, police said.
Investigators said the two suspects, who reportedly had their faces covered, stabbed the victim several times in different parts of his body, including the head, before fleeing.
Witnesses later reported seeing two men leaving the area aboard a tricycle, PMSgt. Henry Mangana III, investigator on case of the E.B. Magalona Municipal Police Station, said.
The victim was rushed to a hospital in Silay City but was declared dead on arrival at around 5:58 a.m.
His remains were later brought to a mortuary for post-mortem examination.
Mangana said police have yet to identify any person of interest and are continuing to backtrack the suspects’ possible route and look for closed-circuit television footage that could help establish their identities.
He said some CCTV cameras checked by investigators did not capture the roadway where the suspects may have passed.
Police are also looking into the victim’s work as an albularyo or traditional healer and massage practitioner or “hilot” as one possible angle in the investigation.
Mangana said neighbors told investigators that the victim regularly received clients at his residence for traditional healing and massage services.
Police are examining whether a previous interaction with a client or another person may have had a connection to the killing, but Mangana stressed that this remains only a possible motive and has not been established.
The identities and whereabouts of the two assailants remain unknown as follow-up investigation continues.*
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