KUMALARANG, Zamboanga del Sur — A 12-year-old boy is now in stable condition after he was repeatedly hacked by his own grandfather in Barangay Diplo at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 8, 2025.
According to the victim’s grandmother, identified as Josefina, she was awakened by the desperate cries of her grandson, who was pleading for help. When she rushed to check, she found the boy drenched in blood with multiple hack wounds on his hands and feet. Beside him stood her husband, “Boncio”, 82, still gripping the bloodied machete allegedly used in the attack.
The child—identified only as “Nilo”, a Grade 4 student—was immediately brought to the Kumalarang Rural Health Unit. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center (ZDMC) in Pagadian City, where he is now declared safe and recovering.
Police quickly arrested the suspect, who is now under the custody of the Kumalarang Municipal Police Station while the family decides whether to file charges.
Authorities disclosed that the incident is even more alarming given the suspect’s background. A relative told investigators that Boncio had previously served jail time after allegedly killing his own son years ago. He was released after completing his sentence, only to be involved again in another violent attack—this time against his grandchild.
PSMS Pablito G. Lacbayen Jr., the case investigator, confirmed that the motive behind the attack remains unclear. Police have launched a thorough investigation to determine what drove the 82-year-old grandfather to harm the child.
The community of Barangay Diplo has been left in shock, with residents calling for closer monitoring of individuals with a history of violence—especially within their own families—before more tragedies occur.
Authorities continue to investigate as the family weighs legal action against the suspect.