Cotabato City, Philippines - A lady pastor and her 12-year-old daughter were hacked to death by still unidentified men in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Wednesday night, police said on Thursday.
Juliet Catalan, 50, a pastor of a Born Again Christian sect, was found in her backyard with several hack wounds in the head and body, Inspector Ronaldo Patricio said.
Patricio, Datu Odin Sinsuat police chief, said Catalan's daughter Chelle was found dead inside the living room.
Patricio said the twin killings could have occurred at about 9 p.m., Wednesday, when neighbors alerted the police about what they described as unusual yelling inside the well-fenced compound of Catalan's home in Barangay Dinaig proper.
Patricio said there was no indication of possible forced entry so the police believed the victims knew the attacker or attackers.
He said the killers used a machete, based on the injuries suffered by the victims.
At the back of the compound is the chapel where the 50-year-old pastor was apparently heading to during the carnage.
"She was found sprawling near the chapel," Patricio said, indicating she ran toward the chapel during the attack.
The house was in total disarray and police believed the attackers were looking for something "very valuable."