Brothers, teen kill drinking buddy over appetizer

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Joining a drinking spree without giving his share and eating the group’s pulutan (appetizer) allegedly cost the life of a 21-year-old man from Miag-ao, Iloilo.

The body of Kevin Christian Soriano, a resident of Barangay Guibongan, Miag-ao, was found Feb. 25, 2020.

Soriano’s body was placed in a sack and discarded underneath the Tumagbok Bridge in Baybay Norte.

Soriano sustained wounds on his forehead, mouth, and face while his ears almost got severed. He also suffered injuries on his back.

Follow up investigation led police authorities to suspects Renesto Sespino, 25, and his elder brother, 31-year old Reneboy, both of Barangay Dalije, Miag-ao, and a 16-year-old boy who was only identified as alias Bibi from Fundacion village, Miag-ao.

CCTV footage showed the three pushing a makeshift cart or kariton shortly after midnight on Tuesday.

Bloodstains were seen along Nonato Extension Street going to the area where Soriano’s body was found.

It wasn’t long before the suspects were collared.

Investigators also did not find it hard for the trio to admit their guilt.

Renesto narrated that prior to the incident, the three of them went to a convenience store to buy liquor.

Soriano allegedly saw them buying whiskey which might have prompted him to join the drinking session in a hut.

Albeit uninvited, Soriano asked to be given liquor. He gulped four shots.

Without asking any of the suspects, he just scooped their “para” appetizer.

Renesto said this irked Reneboy who took a piece of wood and repeatedly struck the victim’s forehead.

After knocking out the victim, the suspects slashed the victim’s shirt and replaced it with a different one.

But in slashing his shirt, the knife “accidentally” sliced Soriano’s ear.

The suspects then placed the victim’s body in the sack and loaded him on a cart from the hut near the public market. They then stashed the sack under the bridge.

The suspects returned the kariton to the public market and went back to the convenience store for another round of drinks.

While they claimed to be remorseful for the incident, the suspects seemed to be oblivious of the consequences of their actions, as they were seen smiling in between answering the questions.

The suspects are now in police custody for the disposition of their case.