Man stabbed dead outside “discoral”

A 45-year-old man was killed after he was stabbed eleven times by four men whom he would not let into a benefit dance in Phase 3, sitio Kadasig, barangay Tisa yesterday dawn.

Police identified the victim as Floro Embalsado Lapiña, a resident of sitio Kaduloy.

One of the suspects, Charlemagne Bucag Ompong, 22, of sitio Sidlakan, was arrested inside the Cebu City Medical Center after he was positively identified by a witness as one of the four men who stabbed the victim.

SPO1 Geoffrey Diola, a member of the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office who lives in the barangay, said the victim was detailed to watch the entrance of the benefit dance. The four earlier entered the dance floor then left already reeking of liquor.

Lapiña was about to go home and sent his cousin Jimmy Lapiña to get his motorcycle when the four men tried to come back in.

Because they were allegedly drunk Lapiña refused them entry.  The four got angry and allegedly took turns stabbing the victim.

When Jimmy returned he saw his cousin already slumped on the ground and bloodied.  Jimmy reportedly saw four men scampering away but decided to help the victim first and brought him to CCMC where he was declared dead on arrival.

Diola said he heard about the incident and questioned witnesses, one of whom later said he saw one of the alleged attackers limping after he was hurt during the incident.

According to Diola, Lapiña knew self-defense and could have disarmed one of his attackers and fought back but was eventually overpowered.

Another witness told him that one of the attackers was wearing camouflage shorts. Because of the information Diola went to the CCMC and learned that a certain Charlemagne Bucag Ompong was brought there by Homicide Section policemen after claiming that Lapiña stabbed him in the right knee and left palm.

Diola and the relatives of the victim brought the witness to CCMC where he positively identified Ompong as one of the attackers. Ompong was immediately arrested.

Ompong denied he was one of those who stabbed the victim, but he also refused to identify the three who were with him that night.   — Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP