Netizen says woman taken into custody was not suspect in Tagbilaran City Square stabbing incident

By I. Inojales | 09:49 PM July 20, 2026

TAGBILARAN CITY — The woman taken into custody by authorities following a reported stabbing incident at Tagbilaran City Square on Monday, July 20, was not the person who allegedly attacked her younger sibling, according to the victim’s sister.

In a Facebook post, Edelyn Busano Castillo clarified that the woman presented by the Tagbilaran City Government and the Philippine National Police (PNP) was not the alleged assailant.

“This is not the woman who harassed my younger sibling,” Castillo wrote.

Earlier, the Tagbilaran City Government announced that a woman had been taken into custody through a joint operation involving the PNP, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD), the All Light, Emergency, Rescue and Transport (Alert) emergency response team, and the city government after reports that she had allegedly injured a resident of Tagbilaran City.

Before the operation, Castillo had appealed to city officials to take immediate action, claiming that her younger sibling was injured by a woman believed to be experiencing a mental health crisis while carrying a knife at Tagbilaran City Square.

She said her sibling narrowly escaped more serious injuries despite being accompanied by a child during the incident and urged authorities to act swiftly to prevent similar cases.

In response to the operation, Mayor Jane Yap said authorities are working to identify the family of the woman taken into custody so she can receive appropriate medical evaluation and mental health intervention while ensuring the safety of both the public and the individual involved.

Following Castillo’s clarification, it remains unclear whether the alleged assailant has been identified or apprehended.

Authorities have yet to issue a statement addressing the claim, and the investigation into the reported stabbing incident is ongoing.