June 2017, 7 AM. The barangay office in Batangas received a call from a resident. According to the report, an elderly woman was found unconscious in her own bed. The caller was Andrew Alonte, the foster son of the elderly woman, who lived with her in the same house.

Riding in the Barangay Patrol vehicle, several officials including Barangay Captain Aida Saturnino quickly responded. When they arrived, they found 63-year-old Kriselda Alonte lying in bed, as if asleep—but she was no longer breathing and her body was cold. A barangay health worker who joined the response checked her. No pulse. No signs of struggle or injuries were found. Their initial observation pointed to a possible stroke or cardiac arrest.

Given her age and possible underlying conditions, it was easy to accept this explanation—especially since Kriselda Alonte was already elderly. That same afternoon, Andrew posted on social media. He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the only parent he ever had. His post drew sympathy from friends and acquaintances.

But in Milan, Italy, one sister couldn’t sleep. Rosenda Alonte, who had been living and working as an OFW for nearly three decades, was in disbelief. Just weeks before, she had spoken to her sister via video call. Kriselda had been lively, even sharing her excitement about buying plants for her small garden.

Rosenda couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Driven by grief and unease, she decided to return home. She also wanted to talk privately with Andrew—the nephew she hadn’t closely monitored growing up. Though not related by blood, Andrew had been lovingly accepted by the family.

25 years before the incident, very few knew how Andrew came into Kriselda’s life. Neighbors only knew that one day, a child suddenly appeared in the home of the spinster.

In 1998, Kriselda had just returned from working six years in Abu Dhabi as a maid for a wealthy family. With some savings, a modest home, and a small import business, she had planned a peaceful life. A regular female customer who often bought perfumes and lotions to resell in the market was the reason behind everything. This woman was pregnant and abandoned by the man who got her pregnant.

One day, she came to Kriselda’s house with an infant and a few belongings. She begged Kriselda to temporarily adopt the baby, saying she couldn’t raise him, especially without a father. She never came back. No adoption papers. The baby was simply left behind.

Kriselda had doubts at first, but upon seeing the baby’s face, she couldn’t say no. She thought maybe the child was heaven-sent, especially since she never had the chance to marry or have a child of her own. From that day on, she treated the child as her own. She named him Andrew.

Over the years, through every school enrollment, every field trip, and every fevered night, Kriselda was always there. Blood didn’t matter. She loved Andrew deeply. Although Rosenda initially disapproved of the adoption, she eventually accepted it, seeing the joy it brought to her sister.

But at age 17, a single argument changed everything. During a heated misunderstanding, Kriselda accidentally told Andrew the truth: that he was not her biological child. That moment created an emotional rift.

In the years that followed, their home grew quiet. Andrew went to college in Manila. He rarely called, visited only occasionally, and when he did, something always felt distant. Kriselda felt the growing gap between them.

A month before Kriselda’s death, Andrew suddenly returned home and decided to stay longer. He said he was just waiting for updates on a job application in Manila. Neighbors noticed he brought along several suitcases—unusual for his visits.

During that time, their home briefly felt whole again. But it didn’t last.

Two weeks before her death, neighbors observed that Kriselda seemed weaker, often sitting listlessly on the porch. Until one day, she was found lifeless.

When Rosenda returned from Italy, she was met with a cold atmosphere and a nephew who showed no visible grief. On her first night back, she quietly walked through the house. The photos on the wall reminded her of happier times with her sister. But something was off in Kriselda’s room. Some cabinet doors were open, and papers were scattered on the bed—as if someone had been rummaging through documents.

Andrew, seemingly caught off guard by Rosenda’s sudden return, spent more time hanging out with friends Kriselda never liked. In the week after the funeral, he was reportedly seen more often on video karaoke bars than at home. This was confirmed by the barangay captain, a longtime friend of Kriselda.

Rosenda wanted her sister’s body examined by a forensic pathologist to confirm the real cause of death—but Andrew firmly objected. Tension rose. Andrew insisted on letting his mother rest in peace and respecting her body.

Rosenda didn’t push him further. Instead, she acted in secret. She contacted Kriselda’s former lawyer—a retired attorney in their town—and that’s when she learned something that confirmed her suspicions: Andrew was the sole heir listed for the house, land, and a small bank fund.

Adding to her suspicion, Rosenda found receipts scattered around the house. They showed transactions at a pharmacy and a store in a nearby town: two bottles of sleeping pills and a chemical commonly used as rat poison—purchased days before Kriselda’s death.

Without hesitation, Rosenda used her own money to secure a forensic contact at Sanodoro Hospital. With the help of the barangay captain, who also had doubts about Andrew, a quiet exhumation and autopsy were conducted.

Two weeks later, the results came out.

The forensic report found high levels of a compound not naturally produced by the body—a known neurotoxin. Potent and hard to detect, its symptoms mimic those of a stroke. The documents confirmed that this was no longer a theory, but solid evidence.

In the eyes of the law, it was enough to launch a formal investigation.

After receiving the autopsy results, Rosenda wasted no time. With help from the family lawyer and barangay captain, she filed a complaint with the Sanodoro police. She presented the forensic report, chemical receipts, and her observations.

The case was assigned to Inspector Eric Leviste, a serious investigator who didn’t act without data. Upon reviewing the evidence, he began collecting more proof. One of his first stops was the barangay captain, who revealed that just days before her death, Kriselda had confided that Andrew no longer treated her the same.

Tracking Andrew’s movements, police discovered he had recently met with a man at a fast-food restaurant in Lipa. Background checks revealed this man had a history of forging documents. CCTV footage confirmed the meeting. Inspector Leviste requested court-approved surveillance.

Over a week, Andrew was followed. Most of his activities involved property transactions. One day, he even visited city hall with a folder of documents believed to be related to Kriselda’s land.

The evidence became enough to pursue a case of parricide and falsification of public documents.

With the help of Rosenda’s legal team, Inspector Leviste filed a request for an arrest warrant.

December 2017, around 11 AM. Andrew entered a land agent’s office to submit a fake document as part of transferring property ownership—the house and land formerly under Kriselda’s name, which he planned to sell quickly.

He didn’t know the police were watching. As he waited for approval, two officers entered, showed him the warrant, and escorted him out. Shocked, he resisted—but eventually surrendered.

At the precinct, he was charged with parricide and falsification of public documents.

Prosecutors presented autopsy results, chemical receipts, and testimonies from the barangay captain and forensic expert. CCTV footage of the transaction with the forger was also submitted.

In court, the prosecution laid out its theory: Andrew intended to kill Kriselda to inherit her property. From his sudden return home, to Kriselda’s steady decline, to the forged documents—everything pointed to premeditation.

The defense claimed Andrew acted out of emotional distress and resentment from being adopted. But the court found this insufficient to justify the clearly planned crime.

The investigation also revealed Andrew had a large debt with a loan shark in Manila and had expensive vices—clubbing, drinking, and reportedly illegal drugs. He needed money fast.

After months of trial, in 2018, the court handed down its verdict:

Reclusión perpetua for parricide

Reclusión temporal for falsifying legal documents

Andrew Alonte was sent to New Bilibid Prison to serve his sentence. He tried to appeal the ruling, but it was denied.

Meanwhile, Rosenda stayed in Batangas to settle her sister’s affairs. She had no intention of taking the inheritance—but she knew that someone as ungrateful as Andrew did not deserve what her sister worked hard for.

In Andrew’s imprisonment, Rosenda remembered how deeply her sister loved him. During years abroad, Kriselda often spoke of her longing for Andrew and her regret for the day she told him the truth. She often wished she could go back and tell him in a better way—when he was ready.

She had hoped they could still repair their bond as mother and son, even if not by blood.

But that hope is now forever gone. The very baby Kriselda lovingly raised turned out to be the cause of her death.