By Jennifer P. Rendon
Jealousy ended years of friendship between two neighbors in Molo, Iloilo City.
The height of their misunderstanding was capped with a stabbing incident that happened on the afternoon of March 20 at Zone 3, Barangay San Juan, Molo,
The suspect, 27-year-old Charlie dela Cruz, went to the house of the victim, John Mark Garcia, unannounced around 5 p.m. Monday.
At that time, Garcia, 20, was reportedly feeding his chickens in their backyard.
The suspect approached him and, without a word, plunged a kitchen knife into his forehead.
Garcia then ran to evade another attack.
Staff Sergeant Revel Louie Paciente, Iloilo City Police Station 4 investigator, said dela Cruz immediately fled in an undisclosed direction.
Dela Cruz remains at large, as of press time.
Luckily, Garcia only suffered a laceration on his forehead and was treated at the Western Visayas Medical Center.
The victim told investigators he had a falling off with the suspect as his former girlfriend is now dating the suspect.
“Their conflict could have been born out of jealousy,” Paciente said.
Prior to the incident, Garcia claimed to have received threats from dela Cruz sent through a text message.
Charges are yet to be filed against the suspect.
Police are also looking into reports that dela Cruz was out of jail on parole for a homicide case.
