Teen stabbed dead in ‘gang war’

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) will beef up its presence at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) in Barangay Villamonte here following the killing of a minor in the area over an alleged gang war last Sunday.

The victim was a 15-year-old boy, who was stabbed by a man in front of BCGC due to series of altercation between their groups. The name of the minor-victim, who was a Grade 8 student, was withheld.

Police Lieutenant Greeky Cayao, deputy commander of Police Station 4, said the victim, along with his 14-year-old male friend were strolling in the area around 7 p.m., when the suspect identified as Jorebel Datulayta, 21, of Barangay Alijis here, reportedly tailed and assaulted the victim.

Cayao said Datulayta allegedly stabbed the victim on the back, as witnessed by the latter’s friend. The victim was declared dead on arrival at Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital here.

Cayao said the suspect was later arrested at the back of the BCGC.

“Siguro bala nag balusay, kay dugay na sila may suya-ay guro, asta nakakita siya (suspect) siguro opportunity that night,” Cayao said.

Cayao said the weapon used in the incident was not recovered.

A passenger jeepney was also damaged after the group of the minor-victim allegedly threw stones at it thinking that the suspect rode the jeepney.

“Nasal-an lang nila pero wala na kami may ma identify kay nag focus kami abi sa stabbing,” Cayao said.

Cayao said the victim’s friends even threw stones at the police patrol car, where the suspect was sitting to be transported to the police station. The suspect was unharmed.

Cayao said that murder charges will be filed against the suspect.

DENIAL

In a media interview, Datulayta denied the accusation against him, but police discovered his alleged message to his group members on social media saying “Diin na kamo? May nabuno na kami isa ka bilog (Where are you. We stabbed one of them).”

Datulayta said he did not know the victim and that he was wrongly implicated.

“Ako lang gin pasibangdan. Nakibot na lang ko sang gindakop ko sa may playground dampi,” he added.

The suspect said he hopes that the police will arrest the real culprit behind the incident.

“Tani makita na nila ang nagbuno sa bata,” an emotional Datulayta said.

JUSTICE

The victim’s mother called for justice for the death of her son.

“Sa mga witnesses na nakakita, gapakitluoy ko sa inyo na matagaan hustisya bata ko,” an emotional mother said.

“Sa mga ginikanan sa na involve sa bata ko, kabay pa tandugon inyo balatyagon na isurrender bata niyo,” she said.

She believed that Datulayta was the one who stabbed her son, since he was the one being identified by some witnesses in the area.

“Tingwaan ko na indi ka makagwa. Tani makonsensya ka. Indi mo na pag ideny kay damo ang nakakita,” she said.

She said that her son asked permission from her to buy ice cream with his friend. After a while, she was informed that her son was stabbed.

The victim was the youngest of the two siblings. He was a son of a vendor and a dispatcher.

POLICE PRESENCE

Police Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir, BCPO director, said that additional police personnel will be deployed to BCGC especially that there’s influx of people hanging out there on weekends after the pandemic curfew was already lifted.

Martir said that additional personnel will come from the Bacolod City Mobile Force Company, Mobile Patrol Unit, and Police Station 4.

At present, at least six policemen were assigned within the BCGC, while four others were assigned on mobile patrol, Martir said.

Martir said the city has an ordinance for curfew for minors from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.