Watchman arrested for killing sister's partner

CEBU, Philippines — A village watchman in Barangay Tungkil, Minglanilla, was arrested by the Minglanilla police after allegedly stabbing dead his sister's live-in partner behind the barangay hall last Sunday evening.

Joven Gonzales, 46, voluntarily surrendered to his fellow village watchmen after killing Miguel Mancelita, 62, a resident of Barangay Linao, Minglanilla Cebu.

Police Officer 2 Arnel Resente said that around 1 p.m. Sunday, both the suspect and the victim were drinking in the suspect's house.

"Kaning victim kay mao'y ka-live-in partner sa manghod sa suspect so nagpuyo ni sila sa usa ka balay. Pagkahuman nila'g inom kay nanlakaw ni sila didto sa tigbakayan ang suspect, unya ang victim didto sa ila sa Linao," said Resente.

Allegedly, around 6 p.m. the wife of the suspect and his younger sister, the live-in partner of the victim, had a heated argument which led the suspect to slap his younger sister.

"Gibadlong sa suspect giingnan nga ugma nalang husaya wala man nipatuo ang manghod. Nigawas ang suspect iyang gisagpa iyang manghod, diha naman ang victim nakakita sa nahitabo nasuko nga gisagpa ang iyang kapuyo," Resente said.

Allegedly, Mancelita got a piece of wood and hit the head of the suspect who just came out from the house, not knowing the suspect was already armed with a kitchen knife.

"Nisulod ang suspect gi-atangan sa victim sa pultahan unya gibunalan sa ulo nagkadugo ang suspect unya dayon bawos pinaagi sa pagdunggab sa victim. Ang mga nakakita nagtuo nga gisukmag ra kay ngitngit man apan natumba ang tigulang," said Resente.

The suspect allegedly kept on stabbing the victim despite his pleas, but the suspect was too enraged to stop. The victim sustained several stab wounds in different parts of his body including his chest and face.

Police recovered the 11-inch kitchen knife in the crime scene. Gonzales is now detained in the Minglanilla Police Station awaiting charges for homicide.

Meanwhile, in Barangay Poblacion Ward III, three minors who were allegedly members of a gang were arrested by the Minglanilla police around 9 p.m. Sunday after they allegedly shot another minor who was a member of a rival gang.

Police Officer 2 Jefferson Base said that the 16-year-old victim was sitting on a bench when the three suspects aged 16 and 17 suddenly appeared and shot him twice with a .38 cal. pistol, hitting him in the left side of his neck and ear.

"Ang victim kay naa ni kuyog nga minor pud, allegedly giingnan to ang kuyog sa suspects kay palayo kay para dili ka maapil. Paglayo sa katong kuyog didto na gipusil sa mga suspects ang victim," said Base.

The suspects fled but were later arrested. The victim was rushed to the hospital and later transferred to Cebu City.

The suspects were member of a certain "Ages gang" while the victim is a member of "Kalmado gang."

"Sigehan man ni namo og badlong kay anha man ni sila pirmi magtambay sa plaza," Base said.

In Mandaue City the police confiscated more than 60 grams of suspected shabu valued at P250,000 from 20 drug personalities arrested in various checkpoints in Mandaue City over the weekend.

Mandaue City Police Office chief Senior Superintendent Roberto Alanas said the biggest quantity came from Nilda Sagarino, 52, a resident of Sitio Humay-Humay, Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City.

Sagarino yielded about 50 grams of suspected shabu at a checkpoint conducted by Centro Police Station 1 of MCPO along Zuellig Avenue at the Mandaue North Reclamation Area around 9:40 p.m. last Saturday.

Alanas said the drug personalities are detained in the MCPO holding cell. (FREEMAN)