In the quiet evening of January 18, 1961, a series of four loud, sharp sounds cracked the silence on Zapote Street in Makati. When authorities were finally able to push open a blocked door at house number 1074, they were met with a scene of unimaginable horror. The room was in disarray. Mrs. Asuncion Cabading was found clinging to life, severely wounded as she lay protectively over her daughter, Lydia. Beside them lay Lydia’s new husband, Dr. Leonardo Kitangon. Both were motionless. The family patriarch, Pablo Cabading, was also found in the room, having apparently brought about his own final act after the terrible event. Only one survivor, Mrs. Cabading, was left to recount the nightmare.

This story began, as many do, with love. Dr. Leonardo Kitangon, a 35-year-old professor, met Lydia Cabading, a 23-year-old medical intern. They fell in love, attended games, and he even brought her home to meet his family. But there was a strange shadow that hung over Lydia. She was sweet but incredibly timid, especially about her home life. She never shared fond childhood memories. Any time she was out late, she would panic, stating, “I’ll have to let my father know first,” and rush home. Leonardo’s family noted the extreme strictness of her father, Pablo, a retired police officer.

Pablo’s control over his only daughter was absolute. He would personally drive her to school and be waiting for her the second classes ended. He was known to threaten any young man who merely glanced at his daughter. When Leonardo, a professor, offered to help Lydia study for her board exams, he was allowed into the home. He saw that Lydia’s mother, Asuncion, was the definition of submission, never speaking unless her husband permitted it. Pablo’s word was law.

When Lydia passed her exams, the couple asked Pablo for permission to marry. He agreed, but with one shocking condition: they had to live with him in the house on Zapote Street. Having no choice, Leonardo agreed. It was only then that he understood the true, disturbing nature of his new home. Pablo’s obsession was unsettling. He would insist on joining the couple on their dates, even complaining if he was seated in the back of the car. He forbade them from even chatting privately in their own bedroom, forcing them to stay in the living room where he could watch them. Unbelievably, during their honeymoon, Pablo demanded Lydia sleep in her mother’s room, using a flimsy excuse that her mother had a toothache. This was not a one-time request; the demands for separate arrangements continued.

Leonardo grew desperate to remove his wife from this toxic environment. But when he confronted Pablo, the patriarch’s response was chilling. He told Leonardo that if Lydia ever tried to leave, he would cause her grievous harm “before your eyes.” The situation worsened, and Leonardo eventually had to move out, but he couldn’t take his wife. Lydia was too terrified to leave. For weeks, he had no contact with her, as she was not allowed out of the house.

He soon discovered Lydia was pregnant. One day, Leonardo received a frantic call from his wife, pleading with him to come get her. He raced to the house, got her out, and drove to his family’s home. Hours later, a taxi arrived. Pablo and Asuncion emerged, shouting for Lydia. When Leonardo’s brothers tried to calm them, Pablo retrieved a submachine gun from a box and threatened to harm everyone unless his daughter was returned. He gave them an ultimatum: return Lydia by midnight.

Later, a shaken Lydia confessed to her new family that she had never been happy and spoke of her father’s harsh “physical abuse.” Against everyone’s advice, the couple decided to return to reason with Pablo. Shockingly, when Leonardo’s father went with them, Pablo was in good spirits, full of smiles, and even said he had no objection to them moving out. The next morning, the trap was set. Pablo called, claiming his wife was ill and needed Lydia. When Lydia and Leonardo’s brothers arrived to help her pack, it was clear the illness was a fake. Pablo then announced he wanted the couple to stay after all.

Leonardo went back to the Zapote house one last time to get his wife. His brother, who was present, recounted the final, harrowing moments. Pablo allowed Leonardo to go up to Lydia’s room. The mother, Asuncion, followed with a glass of milk. The brother then heard a scream and sobbing. Pablo himself went upstairs, entered the room, and closed the door. Moments later, three distinct, terrible sounds were heard. Then a fourth. This was the moment the tragedy on Zapote Street was sealed.

But why did this happen? The case became one of the most well-known horror stories in the nation. It was later adapted into a famous book and a revolutionary film. The film was so controversial that Mrs. Cabading herself filed a restraining order to stop its release, desperate to protect her family’s privacy. The reason? The film and book creators insinuated a motive far darker than just a father’s over-protection. They suggested an unnatural bond, a possessiveness that crossed all acceptable boundaries. This theory was supported by a disturbing detail: the book’s author revealed that Pablo would, unbeknownst to the young couple, sometimes hide under their bed as they slept.

Was Pablo’s intense, violent jealousy sparked by the thought of Lydia being with another man? Was there a dark secret in that household that Lydia was carrying, one that Pablo would do anything to keep quiet? The full truth of their relationship, and the real reason for the events of that night, remains shrouded in mystery. The pretty little house on Zapote Street, the one Pablo built for his daughter, is the only witness, and it will never tell.