Miriam's 73-year old aunt stabbed dead
An unidentified suspect yesterday stabbed the 73-year old aunt of Ilongga Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago in her residence at Kahirup Village, Brgy. Cubay Jaro. The victim died at the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) minutes after she was brought for medical treatment.
The fatality was identified as Adelina Palma-Bermejo, a registered nurse. She bore four fatal wounds. She was last seen alive by members of her family in the morning when they brought her food. Bermejo is a sister of Senator's Santiago's mother Dimpna. She lives alone in her house.
A relative of Bermejo discovered the victim's bloody body with a 12-inch knife still tucked on her back. She was found lying near a plastic chair inside her house. She was immediately rushed to WVMC for treatment but did not survive. A police car was used to bring the victim to the hospital.
As of press time, police has yet to release details on the identities of the suspect or suspects and on whether the victim's belongings got lost. Police immediately made hot pursuit operations to track down the suspect. Initially, probers theorized that the victim knew her assailant as witnesses saw her opened the door to a visiting male person.
Police also has yet to determine the possible motives for the killing.
Before the victim's bloody body was discovered, her neighbors heard a man knocking on the door. The man allegedly identified himself as Robert when asked by the victim before opening the door.
In a radio interview, the victim's sister Liberty Palma-Ledesma was quick enough to refute the information relayed by their neighbors regarding Robert. She said it is impossible that the person named Robert has something to do with her sister's death.
She said her husband is also named Robert and they have a policeman friend who is also named Robert. All are considered good and kind persons in their family.
Mrs. Ledesma suspects that the charges her sister filed against her former house help might have something to do with the killing. She did not elaborate more. As she assured, the names of the suspects will soon be made public.
Mrs. Ledesma, through a radio station, immediately relayed the incident to one of Senator Santiago's staff.
Relatives of the victim also immediately rushed to Bermejo's house after they learned of the incident.