COTABATO CITY — A 61-year-old widow was stabbed to death inside her residence in Barangay Rosary Heights 9, Cotabato City, on Tuesday afternoon, August 11, with police arresting a 20-year-old woman who allegedly fled the scene carrying the victim’s belongings.
The victim was identified as Lumbai Malo Dalmaob, 61, a housewife and resident of Purok 5, Barangay RH-9.
Dalmaob sustained multiple stab wounds and was rushed to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) for emergency treatment. However, she was declared dead on arrival.
According to the initial police investigation, the incident was reported at around 2:55 p.m., prompting personnel from the local police station and investigators to immediately proceed to the area.
Investigators said a resident witnessed a woman, later identified as Normina Vicente Ramalan, 20, entering Dalmaob’s house while wearing a black abaya.
Several minutes later, the same woman was allegedly seen hurriedly leaving the residence, this time wearing a red shirt and carrying a blue eco-bag.
The resident reportedly became suspicious and went to check on Dalmaob’s house. Upon entering, the resident allegedly saw bloodstains on the floor and immediately sought help from other residents while pursuing the fleeing woman.
The community members eventually caught up with Ramalan, leading to her arrest.
Police said Ramalan was found carrying a blue eco-bag containing the black abaya and a pair of black sandals she allegedly wore earlier.
Authorities also recovered a black sling bag reportedly containing a bloody knife, surgical gloves, a gold ring and P12,500 in cash. Police said the recovered money and other belongings are believed to have been taken from the victim.
The presence of the bloody knife and other items prompted investigators to treat the incident as a possible robbery that turned fatal.
The Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) team processed the residence to document and collect possible evidence. The bloody knife and surgical gloves were subsequently turned over to the Regional Forensic Unit-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (RFU-BAR) for forensic examination and DNA analysis.
Barangay RH-9 Chairman Israel Datukaka said authorities were examining different possible angles behind the killing, including a motive related to money.
Police, however, have yet to establish the complete circumstances surrounding the stabbing and are continuing to determine how the confrontation inside the house unfolded.
Authorities said the initial indication points to personal financial gain as the possible motive, although investigators stressed that the circumstances remain subject to further investigation.
Ramalan, who is reportedly also a resident of the area and was identified as the victim’s neighbor, remains in police custody.
Police are preparing to file a robbery with homicide case against the suspect in connection with Dalmaob’s death.
The victim’s remains were later claimed by her immediate family and brought to their residence as preparations for her burial were made.
The case remains under investigation as authorities work to establish the full sequence of events and gather additional evidence that could strengthen the case against the arrested suspect.