A man who believed that his ex-wife had an affair is suspected to have killed his own son by forcing the child to drink poisonous acid before committing suicide.
The man was identified by the Manila Police District (MPD) as Rhandyl Cruz, a 43-year-old laborer. His and his 4-year-old son’s dead bodies were discovered yesterday by relatives inside Rhandyl’s home in Tondo, Manila.
In a phone interview with Coconuts Manila, the MPD’s spokesman Police Superintendent Carlo Manuel said that they suspect that the boy was forced to drink muriatic acid by Rhandyl after the police discovered a half-full bottle placed right beside the child’s bed.
Rhandyl’s lifeless body was found on the floor with three stab wounds to the chest, which the MPD suspect was self-inflicted.
Authorities believe that Rhandyl killed his own son and himself because he was driven by jealousy over thoughts that his estranged wife Pauline Cruz had an extramarital affair when she was still working as an Overseas Filipino Worker in Qatar.
Manuel told Coconuts that Rhandyl became suspicious of his ex-wife after seeing the comments posted by Pauline’s ex-colleagues on her Facebook account, however, he did not specify what these comments were.
Prior to Rhandyl’s suspected suicide, he allegedly threatened to stab Pauline with a knife but was stopped after he got into a fistfight with a 17-year-old son.
The 4-year-old son who was killed usually stays with Pauline who lives in Cavite but was “borrowed” by Rhandyl to stay with him in Tondo.
Their bodies were discovered by Rhandyl’s 17-year-old son and his aunt.
Manuel said that the bodies are currently being autopsied.
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