Man stabs cousin over borrowed pail

A juvenile is now in critical condition after his cousin stabbed him in his belly over a borrowed pail that had reportedly delayed the fetching of water needed to cook supper.

Rommel Velayo, 17, was stabbed by his first-degree cousin Bryan Batal, 24, last Saturday evening in barangay Cal-anan, Tabogon town.

PO1 Ronnie Alipio of the Tabogon Police yesterday said that prior to the stabbing incident, the cousins had a heated argument. Velayo reportedly got mad at Batal for borrowing from Velayo's younger brother the pail intended to fetch water, the very reason it took sometime for Velayo's brother to draw water from a well near their house.

Velayo reportedly got irked first at his younger brother who failed to return after he sent him to fetch water for supper. When he went to check on what could have caused the delay, he saw Batal with the pail.

An argument ensued. Batal left, but returned with a 12-inch knife and stabbed Velayo once in the belly.

Velayo was rushed to the nearby hospital, while Batal voluntarily surrendered to the Tabogon Police right after the incident.

The mother of the victim said she is bent on pressing criminal charges against her nephew.