Dad knives mom to death in front of 12-year-old son pleading with him to stop (Cebu City, Phillipines)

The headline below is misleading. Dad ALFREDO ORTEGA, JR. didn't kill his girlfriend, the mother of their five children, out of "jealousy." He killed her out of an abuser's compulsion to control. It's a standard case where an abuser strikes out and kills when the victim tries to get out of the situation. That this woman had apparently tried to leave at least three times, only to return, is telling. No doubt she knew how dangerous a break-up with this guy would be. Plus he stabbed the mom to death in front of their 12-year-old son, even while the son was pleading with him to stop. Imagine the trauma that child will live with for the rest of his life. It should be clear now: when you abuse a mom you violate her children, too.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/metro/view/20090823-221622/Jealous-man-kills-girlfriend

Jealous man kills girlfriend
By Fe Marie D. Dumaboc
Cebu Daily News

First Posted 11:12:00 08/23/2009

Jealousy drove a 39-year-old vendor yesterday to kill his girlfriend in barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

Raquel Abellaneda of E. Lopez, Labangon, Cebu City died after her boyfriend, Alfredo Ortega Jr. of sitio delos Reyes, barangay Mambaling, stabbed her several times in the body during a heated argument.

Police said Ortega killed Abellaneda in front of the couple's 12-year-old son. The couple had been living together and had five children.

Investigation showed that the 37-year-old Abellaneda, who worked as a maid in Manila, arrived at 11 p.m. from Manila.

Ortega fetched her at the pier and they had lunch at their home. It was then that they started arguing.

Ortega allegedly confronted Abellaneda on rumors of her alleged relationship with another man.

During the argument, Ortega got a knife and attacked Abellaneda.

The son pled with his father to stop stabbing his mother to no avail. Ortega fled after stabbing Abellaneda.

The couple's 15-year-old daughter told police that their mother had left their father at least three times only to return.

She said before her mother left for Manila last June, she found a text message from another man for her mother.

She said her mother allegedly refused to answer Ortega when asked about her relationship with another man.

Yesterday, neighbors of the couple told police that they heard voices arguing inside the couple’s house but they ignored it.

Later they saw Ortega leave their house in a hurry.

“Neighbors asked Ortega, if there was a fight near their house. Ortega answered: Yes, there's a killing there. He then fled the area” said PO3 Celso Sarona of Mambaling police precinct in Cebuano.