BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Two young boys became orphans today after their parents die hours away from each other following a marital spat that turned bloody in a residential subdivision here where mostly foreigners live.
Ronald St. Jean, 55, died inside the government-run Corazon Locsin Memorial Regional Hospital around 10am todsy, 12 May 2023, hours after he was brought for treatment of his self-inflicted wounds – a slash on a wrist and a stab to the chest.
He used the same knife in allegedly stabbing his wife, Leizel, a call center agent, who was supposed to turn 48 tomorrow.
Initial accounts from police showed the two fought around 6am in front of their sons, aged seven and 11, as soon as Leizel arrived from work m at their house in Mikaela Village in Singcang Airport village.
Police said the fight was over money problems but Leizel’s cousin, Anjanette, told DNX Leizel wanted to have her husband deported.
Some of their neighbors, mostly foreign nationals, said they heard shouting from inside the house and, later, sounds of things being thrown.
One neighbor, an American, said he soon saw the kids running out of the house asking for help.
Policemen who arrived found an agitated Ronald who threatened to kill himself if they entered, forcing a three-hour standoff during which Ronald used pepper spray on the police and was wonding himself, neighbors and police said.
It was only past 8am when Ronald, bleeding and weakened by his wounds, slipped on a pool of his own blood giving police a chance to subdue and arrest him.
He was then rushed to the hospital.
Their two sons are now with Leizel’s mother.
