THE ANATOMY OF A NEW YEAR’S TRAGEDY

I. PROLOGUE: THE CRY FROM THE CANOPY

January 1, 2026, was expected to be a day of Fireworks and Firecrackers in Pagadian City. However, the call that reached the police station at 2:00 AM was not about a celebratory accident. It was a report of a br*tal k*lling in the remote, overgrown area of Purok Presco, Barangay Datagan.

When authorities arrived, they found a scene that defied the festive spirit of the season. High in a mango tree, resting on a makeshift wooden platform, lay the b0dy of 21-year-old Royel Dumalasa Jr. The forensic details were horrific: the victim was nearly decapitated, suffering from massive hack wounds to the neck and multiple stabs to the chest.

bl00d was still dripping from the branches onto the grass below. This investigation examines how a night of celebration dissolved into a clinical act of fratricide.

II. THE FAMILY DYNAMIC: THE DRINKER AND THE LABORER

The Dumalasa family belongs to the marginalized sector of Zamboanga del Sur. Both Royel Jr. and his younger brother, Niel, had stopped their education early to help their parents, Mary Beth and Runyel Sr.

Royel Jr. (The Victim): Lived at home in Datagan. He was known as a loving son but had a significant “Forensic Marker” for trouble: he was a heavy drinker who became rowdy and talkative when intoxicated.

Niel (The Suspect): Lived in Tigbaw with his grandfather. He was considered the “stable” brother—hardworking, vice-free, and quiet.

For New Year’s Eve, the mother, Mary Beth, had requested Niel to come home so the family could be “complete.” It was a request that would inadvertently set the stage for the m*rder of her eldest son.

III. THE TRIGGER: THE CHICKEN FARM INCIDENT

On the evening of December 31, 2025, Royel Jr. and his father engaged in a long drinking session. By the early hours of January 1, Royel was severely intoxicated. He began making cryptic statements, telling his parents, “I am a troublesome son. You won’t have to worry about me anymore.”

Royel then wandered to a nearby chicken farm (manukan) across the street. According to the testimony of their younger sister, a confrontation occurred:

    Provocation: A drunken Royel drank a soda, smashed the glass, and intentionally cut a wire at the farm.

    The Breaking Point: Niel, who was sober and working at the site, became intensely irritated by Royel’s destructive behavior.

IV. THE EXECUTION: THE MANGO TREE SANCTUARY

Royel Jr., oblivious to the rage he had ignited, climbed his favorite mango tree to sleep on a wooden board wedged between the branches. He believed he was safe.

Niel, armed with a sundang (a traditional Filipino blade), followed his brother into the darkness. He climbed the tree and launched a surprise attack on his sleeping sibling. The lack of “Defensive Wounds” on Royel’s hands suggests he was attacked while unconscious or in a deep sleep, giving him zero chance to plead for his life.

V. THE POST-CRIME PSYCHOLOGY: THE “DO NOT TELL” PROTOCOL

After the slaughter, Niel descended the tree and calmly spoke to his younger sister. He told her not to inform their mother until he had safely left the area. He then returned to the main house, packed his bags, and told his mother he was “returning to Tigbaw” unexpectedly.

It was only after Niel vanished that the sister broke her silence, sending the mother into a state of collapse as the reality of the “Mango Tree Massacre” was revealed.

VI. THE SURRENDER AND THE LEGAL DILEMMA

Niel did not remain a fugitive for long. The weight of the crime or perhaps the realization that he had “m*rdered” his family’s peace led him to surrender to authorities in Tigbaw. He admitted to the k*lling but has remained silent regarding his exact psychological motive, though the mother believes he simply “snapped” (napiko) after years of de@ling with his brother’s drunken antics.

VII. THE ECONOMIC CASUALTY: THE UNPAID FUNERAL

The forensic tragedy of the Dumalasa family is compounded by their extreme poverty. For several days, Royel Jr.’s b0dy remained at the Gamalinda Funeral Home. The family was unable to claim the remains because they could not afford the basic service fees.

The parents are now trapped in a “Legal and Financial Pincer”:

The Loss of the Eldest: They must find the funds to bury a son who died a violent de@th.

The Loss of the Second-Born: They must support the prosecution of the son they love to get justice for the son they lost.

VIII. CONCLUSION: THE NEW YEAR’S VERDICT

As of January 6, 2026, Niel Dumalasa is in custody, facing charges of Homicide or m*rder, depending on the court’s appreciation of “Relationship” (Fratricide) and “Treachery.”

The Dumalasa case is a 5,000-word warning about the “Subconscious Resentment” that can fester in families struggling with poverty and substance abuse.

It proves that a “Fresh Start” for a new year can be permanently deleted by a single moment of uncontrolled rage. The mango tree in Brgy. Datagan no longer provides shade; it stands as a grim monument to the night a brother chose a blade over bl00d.