MANILA, Philippines - Police in Leyte province are now looking into the gruesome killing of two altar boys whose bodies were found inside their quarters in Abuyog town before dawn Wednesday.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Thursday night the victims, both minors, sustained at least four stab wounds each in different parts of their bodies.
A statement on the CBCP website said the victims, aged 14 and 17, were both residents of Palo town.
"It was a gruesome scene," the CBCP quoted town police director Sr. Insp. Ysmael Lantajo as saying. Lantajo said the stab wounds on the chests proved fatal.
The bodies of the two altar boys were found inside a nipa hut serving as their quarters within the Alliance of Two Hearts parish compound at Balucawehay village.
Lantajo said the incident took place at around 1 a.m. Wednesday, but the incident was discovered and reported to police at 7 a.m.
Meanwhile, Lantajo stated that local authorities do not have any idea as to the motive of the suspect.
"Hindi pa natin maintindihan kung ano yung motibo, wala rin namang nawawala sa simbahan (We can't figure out yet the motive behind the killings, also nothing is missing from the Church)," Lantajo said.
But he said they have now a suspect whom he refused to identify pending further investigation.
"Sigurado ako na 100 percent sa susunod na ilang araw eh magkakaroon na ng solusyon ang kaso at mananagot ang nasa likod nito (I am sure 100 percent this case will be solved in a matter of days and the perpetrator brought to justice)," he said.
Parish priest Fr Romeo Callosa had no idea what happened while Fr. Erwin Balagapo of the Palo Archdiocese said Archbishop Jose Palma learned of the incident only through Catholic-run DyDW-Radyo Diwa. - GMANews.TV