Did ‘aswang’ kill this 10-year-old girl in Davao del Norte?

An aswang is suspected to be behind the death of a 10-year-old girl in Braulio Dujali town in Davao del Norte late last month.

The victim, Holy Grace Buot, had died from injuries caused by bites to the neck, head and back last May 26, GMA Davao's Real Sorroche reported Tuesday.

Buot's family believes an aswang attacked her, saying the bite marks were not like those of any animal.

"Aswang talaga yun... Marami kasi siyang sugat, dito, dito, at sa likod. Hayop? Iba talaga ito," said her grandmother Nenita Cruda.

The girl's father Rodito said they were about to wake the girl at 6 a.m. last May 26 when they noticed she was not breathing.

"Hindi ko alam pero marami talaga siyang kagat sa leeg," he said.

But police said it is still possible the girl died from a snake bite.

"Sa amin, hindi kami magko-conclude pero hayop yun. Maaaring ahas o banakon (king cobra). Tinanggal namin ang anggulong aswang, hindi talaga yun aswang," said Braulio Dujali police head Senior Inspector Irish Parangan.

Town mayor Lolita Moral added there has been no incident in the town of an aswang attack.

"Dito rin sa amin, wala pa akong naririnig na may aswang. Wala pa talang ganyan dito sa Dujali. Pero hindi rin ako naniniwala. Mas naniniwala pa ako na ahas o banakon (king cobra) ang cause of death kesa sa aswang," she said.

The mayor appaeled to residents not to believe in the aswang story, adding everyone concerned should wait for the autopsy results on the girl. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News