Elderly woman stabbed to death over debt in Laguna store; body set on fire

PAGSANJAN, Laguna  — A 67-year-old woman was found dead inside her sari-sari store after a fire broke out early Friday in Barangay Magdapio, Pagsanjan, in what police said was a murder disguised as a fire. 

Residents were awakened by flames engulfing the store and rushed to put out the fire.

The victim’s family initially believed that Divina Minaya had managed to escape because the store’s door was open. They were shocked to discover that she was still inside. 

“Tapos po noong medyo mapula na po, sabi nila si Lola nasa loob pa daw po. Then pagpasok ko po binuhusan ko agad ’yong katawan ni Lola kasi umuusok pa po talaga eh,” said Mico Minaya, the victim’s grandson.

The victim’s charred body was found lying on her bed.

Minaya was alone in her store, which operated 24 hours a day.

Suspecting foul play, the family requested an autopsy, which revealed a stab wound to the victim’s neck. 

Police then launched a full-scale investigation.

“Agad tayo nakipag-ugnayan sa medico legal officer na nag conduct ng autopsy at kinofirm na meron pong laslas sa leeg si nanay at sabi po niya na yun talaga ang dahilan ng kanyang pagkamatay at hindi dahil doon sa sunog. Dahil doon, agad po tayo nagsagawa ng full blown investigation,” said Police Major Gerald Balansi, chief of the Pagsanjan police. 

A review of closed-circuit television footage showed the victim talking to a 24-year-old male relative identified by the alias Enzo inside the store.

The two appeared to be arguing while Minaya held a notebook believed to contain a list of unpaid debts. Enzo was seen holding a small machete and occasionally drinking alcohol. 

The CCTV cameras did not capture the killing because the suspect allegedly cut their cables.

However, footage from a barangay CCTV camera showed the man leaving the store shortly before the fire broke out. 

Investigators identified Enzo, a close relative of the victim’s family, as the primary suspect.

During a follow-up operation, the suspect surrendered to authorities and confessed to the killing. 

Enzo claimed he had blacked out because of severe intoxication.

He said he went to the store to calculate his outstanding debt, which amounted to more than P3,000. He could not explain why he killed the woman he regarded as his grandmother. He also claimed that he perceived the victim as a white lady at the time of the incident.

“Basta parang natusok ko siya sa leeg talaga, tapos tumumba. Sorry, sorry po sa lahat ng nangyari. ‘Di ko rin akalain na magagawa ko yan sa lola ko,” Enzo said. 

The suspect further claimed that he washed the machete at the store using gin and cut a wire to turn off the lights. He denied deliberately setting the store on fire to conceal the killing.

Police recovered the machete allegedly used in the killing after the suspect said he had hidden it on the roof of their house.

The victim’s daughter, Cindy Minaya, said the family was struggling to accept the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death and was seeking justice.

“Sana hindi na sinunog kasi hindi namin matanggap eh. Pero gusto po namin talaga yung hustisya, hustisya po para kay nanay,” she said. 

Police said the suspect would face a murder charge, with a possible additional charge of arson.