MABALACAT CITY — An octogenarian couple residing in Barangay San Joaquin here was attacked by robbers inside their residence at around 1:45 pm on Sunday. The attack left Benjamin Cuffee, 85, dead with 24 puncture wounds in his chest while his wife Cresenciana, 84, survived the attack and is now in stable condition at the nearby Tiglao Medical Foundation Center where they were brought. Flores said robbery is the possible motive for the attack.
A witness, Paula Argawanon, 68, said she saw two suspects wearing bonnets, crash helmets and black ackets. She also said one of them had a brown backpack. The witness, a neighbor the victims, said she saw the two suspects leave the Cuffee residence before boarding their “Honda Wave” motorcycle.
Initial police investigation revealed that the ictims had just arrived at their residence and upon entering their gate the suspects forced their way inside shoving he female victim to the ground. The police said the female victim was able to run out of their house and shouted for help.
Police said the ensuing commotion could have startled the suspects who immediately fled with some jewelry and an undetermined amount of cash from the victims. A police investigator said a bloodied screwdriver, which was found near the crime scene, could be the possible murder weapon.
Neighbors brought the couple, both US citizens, to the hospital were Benjamin was pronounced dead-on-arrival while Cresenciana was taken to the intensive care unit. Supt. Henry Flores, chief of police, said a police manhunt for the suspects is now ongoing.
