2 men attacked over money suspects owed

CEBU, Philippines - Two men landed in the hospital after they were attacked in two separate stabbing incidents involving arguments on money in Cebu City yesterday morning.

Ivoo Quijano, 36, married, of Sitio Ubca, Barangay Quiot, is in critical condition after he was allegedly stabbed by his boarder from whom he demanded rent around 5 a.m.

Senior Police Officer 2 Wetzel Berry said the suspect, known to the victim as a certain “Brod”, had not been paying his rent for two months already.

Early morning yesterday, Quijano was playing “hantak” (coin toss game) with a few friends when Brod arrived.

Seeing the suspect, Quijano immediately asked him to settle his debt. However, instead of paying, Brod pulled out a kitchen knife tucked in his waistband and stabbed Quijano twice in the chest.

“Na-timing-an pud siguro to nga gisapot-sapot na ang suspek o gikan ba kaha suyop mao nga nidiretso panunggab,” said Berry.

Despite his wounds, Quijano still managed to run away and hail a taxicab, which rushed him to the Cebu City Medical Center for immediate treatment.

Responding policemen went to the suspect’s room for his possible arrest but only a few clothes was there.

Four hours later, in Barangay Talamban, 44-year-old Ricky Sigue of Sitio Luwas, Barangay Matab-ang, Toledo City suffered a stab wound in the abdomen after he was stabbed by a fellow public utility jeepney dispatcher following an argument over P10 he owed the suspect.

Police Officer 3 Winston Ybañez of Cebu City Police Office-Homicide Section said the conflict between Sigue and the suspect, identified only as a certain “Melody”, started a few days back.

He said as per initial investigation, a PUJ driver asked Melody to get from Sigue P100 to purchase liquor. But since the drinking session did not push through, Sigue asked Melody to give the money back.

Sigue, Ybañez said, got angry after Melody gave only P90, causing an argument. The two eventually simmered down, until they again met yesterday at the Tintay PUJ terminal in Talamban, where Sigue again asked from Melody the remaining P10 causing another argument.

Ybañez said that after the exchange of words, Sigue no longer minded Melody, who opted to leave. Melody, however, returned several minutes later with an ice pick and stabbed Sigue, who was seated on a chair at the terminal, in the abdomen.

Sigue was able to run and sought assistance from nearby policemen but Melody was already nowhere to be seen. Like Quijano, Sigue was also brought to the CCMC for treatment.  (FREEMAN)