MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Four
members of a family have been arrested and charged with
murder for allegedly killing and eating a relative during
a wedding reception -- and serving his flesh to unwitting
party guests, police have said.
At
the July 17 wedding of his daughter, Eladio Baule got
angry with his cousin Benjie Ganay who tripped and accidentally
touched the bride's bottom, said Senior Police Inspector
Perla Bacuel, at Narra town in Palawan province, southwest
of Manila.
A few hours later, Baule, his son Gerald,
another cousin Junnie Buyot and a nephew, Sabtuari Pique,
allegedly confronted Ganay, then drove him to a secluded
place where they stabbed him to death, Bacuel said.
Buyot, who surrendered to police and
is acting as a witness, told police they then roasted
Ganay's body using coconut leaves and kerosene, Bacuel
said.
Baule senior later forced Buyot to take
a bite of Ganay's flesh, which he claims he threw up
but was then forced at knifepoint to swallow, Bacuel
said.
Buyot told police that the group returned
to the party and served some of Ganay's cooked remains
to guests who were still celebrating the wedding, Bacuel
said.
"It was perhaps due to their drunkenness.
They probably didn't know what they were eating,"
he said.
Buyot reported the incident several
days later to a local village leader who took him to
police. Pique also surrendered, and Baule and his son
were arrested.
Superintendent Rey Lanada, Palawan provincial
police chief, said cannibalism would be treated as an
aggravating circumstance in the crime.
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