Party turns bloody in Novaliches; 5 die

A birthday party turned bloody the other night after several guests stabbed and shot dead five middle-aged people, all supporters of Mayor-elect Feliciano Belmonte, inside a friend’s house the other night in Novaliches, Quezon City.

Victims Lauro Adolfo, 56, businessman, Eufenio Barcelona, 56, Rudy Fuentes, 57, and Virgilio Santiago, 52, all suffered stab and gunshot wounds in the head and body and died on the spot.

Maria Luisa Untalan, 47, of 3 Interior I, Jose Abad Santos, Sta. Lucia, Novaliches, sustained bullet wounds in the head and was pronounced dead on arrival in a nearby hospital.

According to sources, the victims were coordinators and employees of incoming Mayor Belmonte. He said that they were "active supporters during the campaign and election period."

Manhunt operations have been launched against four unidentified men, who immediately fled after the melee, taking with them the fatal weapons used in the killings.

According to Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Jaraza, Central Police District-Central Investigation Unit chief, the incident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. inside the house of one Armand Sy, along Jose Abad Santos St. in Sta. Lucia, Novaliches.

Sy, who was celebrating his birthday with some friends, decided to invite his neighbor, Untalan, and her male friends.

During a drinking session, a group of guests had an argument with one of the victims.

At the height of their argument, the suspects pulled out firearms and bladed weapons and attacked the victims, who by then were all reportedly drunk.

Adolfo, Barcelona, Fuentes, and Santiago all collapsed on the ground and died instantly after each sustained several stab and gunshot wounds. Untalan expired before she could even reach the hospital.

The suspects immediately fled the scene, but police said they expect the assailants to be arrested as of yesterday evening.

Meanwhile, Quezon City policemen arrested yesterday a 23-year-old security guard after he robbed and stabbed dead a taxi driver last Tuesday night in Quezon City.

Suspect Romel Villaester, a resident of 103 Seminar Road, Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City, is now detained at the Central Police District headquarters as he awaits filing of charges.

Victim Lucerio Lubiano, 36, taxi driver, of B-53, L-11, Phase 6, Package 4, Camarin, Caloocan City sustained stab wounds in the body and expired at the Quezon City General Hospital.

Initial investigation showed that the incident took place at about 10:30 p.m. in Project 8, Quezon City. The victim was driving his cab along Malinta, Caloocan, when Villaester flagged him down.

The assailant directed the victim to take him to his home in Barangay Bahay Toro. After a few minutes, Villaester announced a holdup and took out a bladed weapon and repeatedly stabbed the victim in the left side of his stomach.

Despite being wounded, the victim was able to fight back, and the suspect jumped out of the cab where bystanders ganged up on him and handed him over to responding policemen. Investigators also recovered the fatal weapon which Villaester used.

The bleeding victim was rushed to the hospital where he died at about 3:30 a.m. <