Young athlete fights for life after axe attack in Agusan del Norte

BUTUAN CITY — A 16-year-old athlete is in critical condition after she was attacked by an unidentified assailant with an axe in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte Wednesday evening.

"Lyn-lyn" (not her real name) sustained wounds to her head and face, after allegedly fighting back when an unidentified man tried to rape her.

She was brought by her father to the Agusan del Norte Provincial Hospital, where she was scheduled to undergo an operation.

According to her father, Lyn-lyn had just returned from a seven-day athletic meet when she asked for permission to hang out at the town shoreline, where there was good mobile reception.

But when she got back at 9 p.m., she was bleeding and disoriented.

"Pagbalik niya nagkadugo na, nakatoktok pa sa pultahan sa kusina sa balay," said the victim’s father.

(She was bleeding, and even accidentally knocked her head on the door.)

Police Officer 3 Virgilio Lumacang said in a phone interview with ABS-CBN News that they had a lead on the possible culprit, but could not disclose his identity as their investigation was ongoing.