Landlord stabs deadbeat tenant

MANILA, Philippines - A landlord stabbed his tenant Wednesday night in Quezon City for being behind in his rent payment for three months.

Police said Romeo Cleofas, 54, was reportedly drunk when he went up to Raymond David del Rosario’s room and demanded that the victim pay the rent.

Investigators said Cleofas has been renting out rooms at his house in Victoria Subdivision, Barangay Sauyo. Del Rosario had not paid his P1,500 monthly rent for three months.

Del Rosario told his landlord he still could not pay the rent because he was unemployed at the moment. Police said this resulted in a heated argument after Cleofas told the victim to just pack up and leave. The suspect reportedly left but returned armed with a kitchen knife, which he used to attack his boarder.

Despite being wounded, Del Rosario was able to get out of the house and call the attention of village watchmen, who rushed him to the hospital and arrested the suspect.

Del Rosario, 23, remains confined at Quezon City General Hospital for three stab wounds he sustained in the right side of his body.             – Reinir Padua