FOUR of the eleven suspects in the burning to death of their 75-year-old matriarch on August 26 have voluntarily surrendered recently to the police in Balingasag town, Misamis Oriental.

Major Teodoro de Oro, Balingasag town police chief, identified the four suspects as Rosalinda Cabusas, Merlinda Cabusas, Jeramil Rotula, and Jesser Rotula.

Rosalinda and Merlinda are the own daughters of the victim Teofila Camongay Cabusas. While Jeramil is the live-in partner of Jocelyn, the mother of the cult leader Cresanto Ercilla.

Jesser is Jeramil’s brother and they are the only two suspects outside of the victim’s clan.

Jocelyn Cabusas Ercilla and her son Cresanto Ercilla were arrested earlier alongside Nicolas Cabusas, Romeo Ercilla, Rochel Ercilla, Reymer Carno Cabusas and Charlie Cabusas.

Accompanied by police staff sergeant Robert John Galdo, all of the eleven suspects have been brought last Thursday to the provincial prosecutor’s office in Cagayan de Oro for another court proceeding of the parricide charges being filed against them.

De Oro said that it was Rev. Charlito Eugenio himself who facilitated the surrender of the four suspects who eluded arrest after the ritual killing in the village of Baliwagan, Balingasag town, more than 50 kilometers away from Cagayan de Oro City.

Even in jail, De Oro said the victim’s children and grandchildren have never been remorseful of the horrible thing they committed.

“She destined to be burned and it was just her fate because of her great sins,” they would tell the curious Balingasag cops.

De Oro said that when he prodded the quite manageable Charlie Cabusas for details, the latter revealed that Cresanto got irked when their grandmother refused to acknowledge him as the pack's new leader.

“The elderly woman was a loyal and diehard follower of the late Divine Master Tomas Eugenio Sr. She did not want to do anything nor participate in any rituals that could tarnish the image and doctrines of the PBCM,” De Oro said quoting Charlie.

Tomas’ son and successor Charlito Eugenio, also the barangay chairman of San Antonio that housed the Philippine Benevolent Christian Missionaries Association of Mercy, Incorporated’s Kingdom of the Holy Spirit church in the neighboring Jasaan municipality, was instrumental in the peaceful surrender of the remaining four suspects.

“He just wanted to clear his father’s name and the PBCM that have been dragged in this controversy. We thanked him (Charlito) for helping us to arrest all the suspects,” De Oro said.

Before the suspects’ inquest in Cagayan de Oro, De Oro said the cult leader Cresanto remained restless and exuded violent behavior.

The others would just follow him in doing ritual dances and reciting words the police could not understand.

Rosalinda confessed they could not say no to Cresanto who would utter some words that would make them meek and obedient to their 20-year-old master.

“They prefer to always follow his order or they would get hurt. Their rituals also denied them any sleep. And it surprised us that they refused to take a bath and eat the foods we offer because they suspect they're not safe and clean,” De Oro said.