A 34-year-old man was killed in Valencia City, Bukidnon, after being struck and pinned by the bucket of a backhoe operated by his wife during what authorities say was a domestic altercation that turned deadly.
According to a report from GMA Regional TV One Mindanao by Cyril Chaves, the couple had a history of serious marital disputes, some of which had already escalated to legal proceedings.
Police said the incident occurred on a Saturday while the woman was at work as a backhoe operator. Her husband allegedly showed up at her workplace and began throwing objects at her. In an attempt to shield herself, the woman reportedly maneuvered the backhoe’s bucket in front of her—but in doing so, it hit her husband and pinned him, causing fatal injuries.
“Out of fear, she tried to block herself using the bucket of the backhoe. She didn’t realize her husband was in the way, and he ended up trapped by the bucket, sustaining serious injuries all over his body,” said Police Major Jayvee Babaan, spokesperson for the Bukidnon Police Provincial Office.
Police also confirmed that the wife had previously filed complaints of physical abuse against her husband and was under a court-issued Permanent Protection Order, which legally prohibited the man from approaching her.
“He wasn’t supposed to be near the woman due to the court order,” Babaan added.
Though the wife was arrested following the incident, she was released on Monday after no member of the husband’s family filed a complaint.
“As of Monday, the suspect was released since no one came forward to press charges,” Babaan said.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of reopening the case should a formal complaint be filed in the future.
