Carpenter accidentally kills niece

Police are hunting down a carpenter who stabbed dead his niece, whom he mistook as his enemy, during her 16th birthday celebration last Dec. 21 in Pasig City.

The victim, Cecile Magayanes, a native of Daraga, Albay sustained a knife wound in the back. She died yesterday while undergoing treatment at the Sto. Niño Memorial Hospital.

Another victim, Rodrigo Meneses, a laborer and stay-in worker at the construction site of Robinson East Mall, located along Marcos Highway, Barangay de la Paz, sustained a stab wound in the back. He is presently confined at the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center.

Superintendent John Sosito, Pasig City police chief, has dispatched two teams to track down the suspect, Eddie Magayanes, 27, a carpenter at the said construction site and residing at Sitio Pagkakaisa, Zone 1-A, Muntinlupa City.

The suspect and Meneses had a heated verbal exchange at around 10 p.m., prober PO3 Ernesto Paraso Jr. said.

Paraso said the suspect took out a fan knife and stabbed Meneses in the back. But the wound was not critical enough, enabling Meneses to run for his safety.

When the drunken Magayanes returned minutes later to the jobsite, he saw Cecile standing some few meters away. She was wearing a navy blue T-shirt, the same color worn by Meneses. She too, was almost of the same height and built as Meneses, Paraso said. – Non Alquitran