1 month ago
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CEBU CITY — The tranquil surroundings of Barangay Lutac, City of Naga, were shattered by a harrowing crime that claimed the lives of a mother and her two children, Monday morning.
The suspect is 33-year-old Carlo Camporedondo, who was arrested by the police in a nearby area hours after the brutal hacking of his live-in partner, 32-year-old Junelyn Jimenez, and their two children, 11-year-old John Carlo and 2-year-old LJ.
Camporedondo was apprehended following an intensive manhunt by City of Naga Police Station officers and barangay officials.
The crime occurred at 10:30 a.m. inside their house at Sitio Ugan, Purok Kamangahan in Lutac.
Police said Camporedondo, who had a history of mental health struggles linked to substance abuse, used a bolo knife in the attack.
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Jimenez's younger sister, Jessa Rico, said the suspect tried to harm her mother after the murders, but her mother managed to escape and hide in a neighbor's house.
Rico added that after the attack, Camporedondo left the house and announced that the victims were already dead.
She said that earlier that day, Camporedondo appeared to have a mental breakdown after coming home unexpectedly.
He and his elder brother had planned to sell coconuts but canceled their plans when they found their cart filled with broken husks instead.
Rico explained that Camporedondo had been confined to the psychiatric ward at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center last year and was on maintenance medication for his mental condition.
However, he allegedly continued to use illegal drugs, which worsened his condition.
Rico said that despite the medication, the suspect's reliance on shabu severely affected his behavior.
Neighbors reported that frequent arguments between Camporedondo and Jimenez were common and noted that just a week prior, Camporedondo had appeared intoxicated and nearly attacked another resident.
The tragedy has left the community mourning the loss of three lives, particularly young LJ, whose injuries were described as the most severe. The incident has reignited discussions on the impacts of substance abuse and the importance of addressing mental health issues, as well as domestic violence prevention.
This incident closely follows a separate case in Tabogon, northern Cebu, where the decapitated body of a missing six-year-old boy was found on Jan. 6.
