THE mother of the seven-year-old girl who was stabbed and burned to death along with her father in Silay City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday is now facing parricide charges.
Her son-in-law was also charged with two counts of murder.
Charged before the City Prosecutor's Office Thursday, April 26, were Rogelia Landao, 44; and Arnel Aguilar, 29.
The filing of charges came after Landao confessed to the police on Wednesday that Aguilar is the primary suspect who allegedly stabbed and burned to death her partner Antonio Padua, 63, and seven-year-old daughter Re-An inside their house Monday night.
The minor-victim just celebrated her birthday a day before the incident.
Aguilar was arrested 36 hours after the incident happened.
Landao told the police that she went to Padua's house with Aguilar after she agreed on the latter's plan to rob the victim.
When Padua refused to give them money, Aguilar suddenly stabbed him while Landao ran and hid at the sugarcane plantation at the back of the house.
Landao saw how Aguilar killed her partner, but she could not ask for help because she was also scared. She was not able to save her daughter as well when Aguilar killed the latter, too.
Superintendent Noel Polines, city police chief, said Landao has been consistent with her allegations against Aguilar but the latter keeps on denying his involvement in the crime until now.
Landao was charged for parricide because of her conspiracy with Aguilar. Both are detained at the police station.
Polines said Padua's children, who are all working in Manila, came home Thursday.
He said the family thanked the police for providing an immediate solution to the case.
Netizens slam mother
Netizens expressed their anger against Landao for conspiring with Aguilar to rob her partner which resulted in the death of the two victims.
Netizens swarmed the video of Landao's interview, which was posted by VoxPop Bacolod Facebook page, with negative comments.
Some of the netizens said that despite Landao's indirect participation in the killings, she's still involved in the crime because she did not ask for help and even agreed with Aguilar to rob her partner.
They also said that the mother was not even sincere for asking forgiveness to her daughter and her partner's family.
