Barber killed for 'bad haircut'

CALINOG, ILOILO, Philippines  — How far would someone go for a bad haircut?

In the case of 36-year-old Benjie Lozada, a resident of Barangay Tuyungan in this town, it could mean the life of a barber.

Last Wednesday afternoon, Lozada voluntarily surrendered to police authorities after he admitted killing Charlie Agustino, 33, a barber from Tapaz, Capiz.

A few hours prior to that, the suspect had his hair cut at the barber shop where Agustino, a pastor for a Baptist church, worked.

All, apparently, went well with the suspect when he left the barber shop without the slightest complaint. He directly went home but several of his neighbors there began teasing him on how bad his haircut looked.

A peeved Lozada, who is said to be mentally-challenged, borrowed his elder brother’s bolo, which the latter used in cutting down bamboos.

On foot, the bolo-armed Lozada directly went to the barber shop at the Calinog Public Market, which is about 8-10 kilometers from Brgy. Tuyungan.

Upon reaching the shop, he immediately hacked Agustino on the different parts of the body. The victim was rushed to Calinog District Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Inspector Aaron Palomo, Calinog Police chief, said it was not the first time that Lozada had his hair cut in that barber shop. “Since, he could be mentally-challenged, a mere taunting was enough for him to kill,” he added. (FREEMAN)